Age of Jackson
Jacksonian Democracy
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The “Common Man”
Universal male suffrage
Strict constructionism
Laissez-faire economics
Democratization of
nominations for elected
office
 Party caucuses to national
conventions
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Increase in local and state
elected offices
Rise of third parties
Spoils system
Manifest Destiny
“County Election”
George Caleb Bingham
1852
Election of 1824
Democratic-Republicans
fracturing
 Election of 1824 has four
candidates

 Sec. of State John Quincy
Adams
 General/Senator Andrew
Jackson
 Sec. of Treasury William
Crawford
 Speaker of the House Henry
Clay

“Corrupt Bargain”
 House of Representatives
chooses Adams

Impact
 Establishment of Democrats and
National Republicans
 Second Party System
House Vote for Election of 1824
John Quincy Adams (NR) (1825-1829)
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Son of Federalist John Adams
National Republican
Corrupt Bargain
 Most of his proposals rejected by a
pro-Jackson Congress
 Alienated the South and West
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Tariff of 1828
 Tariff of Abominations
Second Party System (1828-1854)
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Democrats:
 States’
States’ rights
 Limited
government
 Laissez-faire
 Expansionism
 Pro-slavery
 Equal opportunity
 South and West
 Yeoman farmers,
working class,
southern planters,
immigrants
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 Issue party concerned
about Freemasons
 Promoted economic
nationalism and social
conservatism
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Liberty Party:
 Abolitionist party
Andrew Jackson
National
Republicans/Whigs:
 American System
 Strong federal
government
 Mixed on slavery
 Social conservatives
 New England
 Upper and middle
class professionals,
evangelical
Protestants
Anti-Masonic Party:
Henry Clay

Free Soil Party:
 Prevent expansion of
slavery
Election of 1828
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Andrew Jackson (D)
John Q. Adams (NR)
Political campaigns on
national levels
 Coffin Handbills
 Jackson’s wife
“Old Hickory”
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The Common Man
 Duelist, Gambler, Bar Fighter, PipeSmoker, Tobacco Chewer
 War Hero
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Spoils System
 Hired loyalists and friends
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A Strong Executive
 Mandate from the people
 “It was settled by the Constitution,
the laws, and the whole practice of
the government that the entire
executive power is vested in the
President of the United States.”
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Endorsed states’ rights
 Considered himself a Jeffersonian
Democrat
Andrew Jackson (D) (1829-1837)
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Veto Power
 Maysville Road (1830)
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Peggy Eaton Affair
“Kitchen Cabinet”
 Private group of trusted
advisors
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Major Issues
 Native Removal
 Nullification Crisis
 Bank of the United States
Jackson and Native Removal
 Indian Removal Act (1830)
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Negotiate with Native tribes for
removal west to lands west of
the Mississippi
 Cherokee Nation v. Georgia
(1831)
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Determined Native tribes not to
be “foreign states”
states” but as
“domestic dependent nations”
nations”
 Worcester v. Georgia (1832)
Determined sovereignty of
Native tribes therefore not
subject to state laws
 Apocryphal: “John Marshall had
made his decision. Now let him
enforce it!”
it!” - Andrew Jackson
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 Trail of Tears
Many died from exposure,
disease, starvation
 60,000 removed; 15,000 died
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Jackson And the Nullification Crisis
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Tariff of Abominations (1828)
South Carolina Exposition and Protest (1828)
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Webster-Hayne Debates (1830)
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Robert Hayne (SC)
Daniel Webster (MA): “Liberty and Union, now and forever, one and
inseparable!”
inseparable!”
Jefferson Day Dinner (1830)
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State could nullify federal law or possibly secede if necessary
Andrew Jackson: “Our federal Union: It must be preserved.”
preserved.”
John C. Calhoun: “The Union: Next to our Liberty, the most dear.”
dear.”
Tariff of 1832
South Carolina’s Ordinance of Nullification (1832)
Force Bill (1833)
Tariff of 1833
Election of 1832
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Andrew Jackson (D)
Henry Clay (NR)
William Wirt (Anti-Masonic)
All candidates elected by
national party convention
Bank of the United States
was central issue
Jackson And the Bank War

Nicholas Biddle
 Bank supported by Henry
Clay and Daniel Webster

Andrew Jackson
 “You are a den of vipers and
thieves. I have determined to
rout you out, and by the
Eternal, I will rout you out!”
 “The bank, Mr. Van Buren, is
trying to kill me, but I will kill
it.”
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Death of the National Bank
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Jackson vetoed the charter
Transferred funds to state
banks aka “pet banks”
Election of 1836

Martin van Buren (D)
 Jackson’s VP
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Whig Candidates
 William Henry
Harrison (OH)
 Hugh White (TN)
 Daniel Webster (MA)
 Willie Mangum (NC)
Panic of 1837
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National debt paid off in 1835
Specie Circular (1836)
 Purchase of federal lands by
gold and silver
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Panic of 1837
 Land speculation and crop
failures
 Hard currency led to devalue of
paper money and inflation
 Denial of Bank charter
 States overextended in
infrastructure projects
 Banks closed; unemployment
increased; depression for next
five years