UNIT FIVE
THE NATION EXPANDS
1820–1860
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CHAPTER
CHAPTER
CHAPTER
13
14
15
The Age of Jackson
1824–1842
Manifest Destiny
1820–1860
The Spirit of Reform
1820–1860
History
AND
ART
CHEROKEE BEADED BAG
416
Verdict of the People
by George Caleb Bingham, 1854–1855
The spirit of democracy was a common theme in
the paintings of this artist. Bingham’s paintings
often showed what he considered examples of
good citizenship.
SETTING THE SCENE
Why It’s Important
America grew stronger as it approached the mid-1800s.
Adventurers, pioneers, and gold seekers headed west as
the nation expanded its borders. At about the same time,
many reformers sought to improve society. Their efforts
helped establish some of the civil rights and liberties that
Americans enjoy today.
WAGON TRAIN
To learn more about the nation’s
expansion, view the Historic
America: Electronic Field Trips Side 1,
Chapter 9; Side 1, Chapter 10; Side 1,
Chapter 11; Side 2, Chapter 6 video lessons:
• Frederick Douglass’s Home
• The Alamo
• Sutter’s Mill
• Seneca Falls
Themes
WOMEN’S RIGHTS
MEETING
★
★
★
★
★
American Democracy
Conflict and Cooperation
Beliefs, Ideas, and Institutions
The Individual and Family Life
Civil Rights and Liberties
Key Events
★
★
★
★
★
★
Native American removal in the East
Texas War for Independence
Mexican War
California Gold Rush
Beginning of the Underground Railroad
Seneca Falls Convention
PRIMARY SOURCES
Library
See pages 758–759 for the primary
source readings to accompany Unit 5.
WAGON WHEEL
Portfolio
Project
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HANDS-ON HISTORY
LAB ACTIVITY
Go For the Gold!
Background
In the mid-1800s a call echoed across the United States. “There’s
gold in California!” People found gold in the hills, in the mountains,
and in the streams. Gold nuggets to stuff into pockets and knapsacks
were there for the taking. Prospectors and adventurers by the thousands headed west hoping to make their fortunes. Teachers, farmers,
businesspeople, and merchants armed themselves with picks and
shovels. They attacked streambeds and gravel beds, searching for
shiny gold dust, flakes, and nuggets. Because much of this valuable
mineral washed down from California’s mountains, panning for gold in
rivers became a common choice for prospecting. Prospectors had to
sort through soil and other surface materials for the gold to become
visible. Some hopeful prospectors built simple machines, such as the
sluice box, to help them. You can build a simple model sluice box to
see the process they used.
Believe It
OR
NOT!
Stories of gold in California were
not new. In 1842 a rancher in southern California
found gold dust on the roots of a wild onion he dug
up for lunch. No one paid much attention until James
Marshall found gold while building a sawmill on John
Sutter’s property in 1848.
Materials
CALIFORNIA GOLD
MINERS
418
■ 1⁄2 gallon empty milk or juice carton
■ sand, dirt, gravel, with 3 or 4 heavy metal screw
nuts (gold nuggets)
■ 3 small dowel rods about
6 inches long
■ modeling clay
■ large baking pan
■ water
■ scissors
UNIT 5 The Nation Expands: 1820 –1860
What To Do
A. Use the clay to form a ridge about 1 inch
high at one end of the baking pan.
B. Cut off the top and one side of the empty
milk or juice carton.
C. At the flat end of the carton, cut a U-shaped
opening. Leave about 1⁄2 inch around 3 sides.
D. Turn the carton so that the cut-away side is
up, forming a trough. Make 2 small holes near
the bottom of the trough about 2 inches away
from the U-shaped end for the water to drain.
E. Using scissors; poke 3 holes about 1 inch
apart at the bottom of both sides of the
carton. Push the dowel rods through the
holes. (See diagram)
F. Place the trough in the cake pan with the
open end on the clay ridge.
G. Place a handful of sand, dirt, gravel, and
metal screw nuts at the upper end of
your trough. Pour water down your
trough and look for “gold nuggets.”
Repeat the process several times. Now
you are sluicing for “gold.”
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GO A STEP FURTHER
ACTIVITY
Find out more about the discovery of gold
at Sutter’s Mill near Sacramento in 1848.
Write a series of diary entries that you think
John Sutter might have made about the discovery of gold and the arrival of miners.
UNIT 5 The Nation Expands: 1820–1860
419
420-421 CH13CO-821611 6/20/01 6:57 PM Page 420
CHAPTER 13
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The Age of Jackson
1824 –1842
OSCEOLA, SEMINOLE
LEADER
SETTING THE SCENE
Focus
By the early 1820s, most of the leaders of the
American Revolution had died or lay near
death. A new generation of leaders stepped
forward to take their place. Many Americans
demanded that these leaders guide the nation
toward greater democracy. Andrew Jackson heeded their call. In 1828
voters sent Jackson to the White House. This rough-and-tumble President
from the frontier breathed a new spirit of equality into American politics.
Concepts to Understand
s
Journal Note
t you are
Imagine tha
r reporter
a newspape
cover
assigned to
kson. Keep
Andrew Jac
your
a record of
out this
thoughts ab
ed
strong-mind
President.
★ How American democracy expanded during the early 1800s
★ What federal actions brought conflict and cooperation among
Americans in the North, South, and West
Read to Discover . . .
★ the groups that gained or lost rights in the 1820s.
★ the new political practices
HISTORY
that emerged in the
Jackson era.
Chapter Overview
Visit the American History: The Early Years to
1877 Web site at ey.glencoe.com and click on
Chapter 13—Chapter Overviews to preview
chapter information.
United States
World
420
1824 John Q. Adams
chosen President by
House of Representatives
1820–1824
1821 Greece begins
war of independence
UNIT 5 The Nation Expands: 1820–1860
1828 Andrew Jackson
elected President
1825–1829
1825 First public railroad
opens in Britain
1832 Jackson challenges
the Bank of the United
States
1830–1834
1830 Revolutions occur
in France, Belgium,
and Poland
History
AND
ART
JACKSON CAMPAIGN BOX
Stump Speaking
by George Caleb Bingham, 1854–1855
Paintings by George Bingham in the 1850s expressed
the growth of public participation in the democratic
process. For nearly five years, Bingham explored and
depicted the human aspect of politics.
1836 Martin Van Buren
elected President
1838 Cherokee begin Trail
of Tears
1840 William Henry Harrison elected President
1841 President Harrison
dies
1835–1839
1838 Guatemala, Costa
Rica, Honduras, and
Nicaragua gain independence
1840–1844
1840 Upper and Lower
Canada united
1842 Britain defeats China
in Opium War
1845–1849
1845 Potato famine begins
in Ireland
CHAPTER 13 The Age of Jackson: 1824–1842
421
SECTION 1
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
The People’s President
GUIDE TO READING
Read to Learn . . .
Main Idea
As politics in America became more
open, citizens elected a President
from the nation’s frontier.
Reading Strategy
Organizing Information As you read about
the Jacksonian Era, use a diagram like the one
shown here to explain changes in voter qualifications and how they helped elect Andrew
Jackson President.
★ why some Americans wanted a greater
voice in government.
★ how the election of 1824 divided Americans.
★ why the election of 1828 marked a
turning point in politics.
Terms to Know
★ suffrage
★ caucus
★ nominating
convention
Jackson
Elected
President
JACKSON’S WHITE BEAVER HAT
O
n the evening of July 3, 1826, a
small group of people stood quietly in a
darkened bedroom at Monticello, a home
in Virginia. They watched as 83-year-old
Thomas Jefferson struggled to breathe.
Another group gathered in a darkened
bedroom of a house in Quincy, Massachusetts. This group stayed near the bed of
91-year-old John Adams.
In the early dawn hours of July 4—on
the 50th anniversary of the approval of
the Declaration of Independence—
Jefferson died. John Adams followed
several hours later.
The deaths of these two giants from the
American Revolution left people stunned.
422
UNIT 5 The Nation Expands: 1820 –1860
Clearly, Americans stood on the threshold
of a new era. They looked around for
leaders to guide the nation on its journey
toward greater democracy.
Citizenship
★ Broadening
Political Power
The Declaration of Independence held
out a great promise. “All men are created
equal,” declared the document. In fact,
however, only a select group of people—
white male property owners—made decisions about government.
New Voices From the West
As new states entered the Union, the
rules of leadership began to change. Settlers who carved out states in lands
between the Appalachian Mountains and
the Mississippi River judged leaders by
new standards. Westerners respected selfmade leaders—people who succeeded on
their own rather than on inherited wealth
or family name. The hardships of frontier
life had taught people the value of cooperation and hard work.
When new Western states wrote constitutions, they gave suffrage, or the right to
vote, to all white men. States in the East
soon followed the example of the West.
One by one, they eliminated voting
restrictions based on property, payment of
taxes, or religion. By the 1830s, the number of qualified voters in the United States
had skyrocketed.
leaders took part in nominating caucuses,
people called this method of choosing
candidates “King Caucus.” Critics said
the process limited democracy. People
demanded an end to “King Caucus.”
In the 1830s, party officials bowed to
public pressure. They began to hold nominating conventions instead of party caucuses. At the nominating conventions,
delegates from each state cast their votes
for political candidates.
Expansion of the vote and the death of
“King Caucus” created an air of excitement. More and more people felt the
drama of politics. As a result, voter
turnout increased sharply. In the presidential election of 1824, fewer than 27
percent of qualified voters took part. By
1840, voter turnout was more than 80 percent. By contrast, voter turnout has been
less than 60 percent in recent present-day
presidential elections.
Limits on the Vote
While large numbers of free white men
won the right to vote, many free African
American men lost it. Most northern
states had allowed them to vote early in
the 1800s. However, these states took the
vote away or restricted it during the 1820s
and 1830s.
Other groups in the United States also
had no voice in politics. Women, Native
Americans, and enslaved African Americans were still denied the right to vote.
An End to “King Caucus”
The white men who did win the right to
vote in the 1820s and 1830s made sure
leaders heard their voices. In addition to
voting at the polls, they wanted a say in
choosing who would run for President.
Under the political practices of the
time, a handful of party officials gathered
in private meetings to nominate people
for office. Such a closed political meeting
is called a caucus. Because only party
★ The Disputed
Election of 1824
In 1824 Western voters saw a chance to
elect one of their own “favorite sons,” or
regional candidates, to office. That year,
two Westerners competed for the presidency—Henry Clay of Kentucky and
Andrew Jackson of Tennessee. An Easterner—John Quincy Adams of Massachusetts—and a Southerner—William
Crawford of Georgia—also ran. All candidates ran as Democratic-Republicans, the
only political party at that time.
The Candidates
John Quincy Adams, the son of President John Adams, had spent his life
studying national politics. As former secretary of state under President Monroe, he
had also learned much about foreign
affairs. Adams, however, was not well
liked. Many people found him cold.
CHAPTER 13 The Age of Jackson: 1824–1842
423
Henry Clay, on the other hand, won
people over almost immediately with his
quick wit and charm. These traits had
helped Clay earn respect for his skill at
compromise in the House of Representatives. His ability to negotiate deals had led
Clay to become speaker of the House.
Like Clay, William Crawford enjoyed
national fame as a longtime member of
Congress. People knew him best as President Monroe’s secretary of the treasury.
The fourth candidate, Andrew Jackson,
captured popular attention as the hero of
the Battle of New Orleans. Even more
important, people saw him as the symbol
of a self-made man of the Western frontier.
Although Jackson owned land and held
enslaved persons, he constantly reminded
people of his humble origins. Many ordinary Americans looking to expand
democracy saw Jackson as very much like
themselves.
The “Corrupt Bargain”
In the election of 1824, Jackson won far
more popular votes than any of the other
candidates. Neither Jackson nor any other
candidate, however, won a majority of the
electoral votes. For the second time in
United States history, the House of Representatives would choose the President.
Henry Clay received the fewest electoral
votes and so was out of the race. Ill health
forced Crawford to withdraw. By the time
the vote was to begin, the House had only
two candidates to choose from—Adams
and Jackson.
People waited in suspense as the House
began voting. As speaker of the House,
Henry Clay was in a position to influence
the final count. At Clay’s urging, most of
his supporters threw their votes to
Adams. Clay’s action gave Adams
enough votes to win the presidency. A
short time later Adams named Clay his
secretary of state.
Enraged supporters of Jackson charged
Adams and Clay with reaching a “corrupt
bargain.” “[Clay] shines and stinks like a
rotten mackerel by moonlight,” declared
John Randolph of Virginia.
★ New Political Parties
Picturing
H istory
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS Without
a majority of the popular vote,
John Quincy Adams won the
presidential election of 1824.
Who received the majority of the popular
vote in the election of 1824?
424
UNIT 5 The Nation Expands: 1820 –1860
Following the 1824 election, the old
Democratic-Republican party began to
split apart. People who supported Adams
and Clay called themselves National
Republicans. The National Republicans
included Eastern business owners, Southern planters, and former Federalists. Supporters of Jackson were determined that
Adams should not succeed. They branded
the National Republicans enemies of the
common people. They then formed a new
version of the Democratic-Republican
party to challenge them. The name would
later be shortened to Democratic party.
Today’s Democratic party traces its roots
to the time of Jackson.
JACKSON CAMPAIGN POSTER
The Election of 1828
A new face of politics showed itself in
1828. No longer did people choose among
heroes of the American Revolution. They
now watched as Adams and Jackson,
again running for President, bitterly
attacked each other.
Jackson labeled Adams an aristocrat, or
a member of the upper class. Jackson also
pointed to funds that Adams had spent
on national projects such as roads and
canals. He claimed that by supporting
such projects, Adams had shown he
favored a powerful federal government.
Jackson hoped to turn voters who feared
federal power away from Adams.
Adams struck back. He went so far as
to call Jackson “a barbarian and savage
who could scarcely spell his own name.”
Adams’s backers painted Jackson as a ruffian with a furious temper.
Picturing
H istory
ANDREW JACKSON In 1828,
Jackson campaigned as a man
of the people, while trying to
depict John Quincy Adams as
an aristocrat. What group from the South
voted largely for Jackson?
President From the West
“
On Election Day, Jackson won by a
landslide. His support came from people
newly armed with the vote—urban Eastern workers, farmers in the South, and
people from the new Western states. Upon
learning of Jackson’s victory, Massachusetts senator Daniel Webster wrote:
Jackson’s supporters believed that he
represented the “common man.” He became the symbol of the growing power of
democracy.
My opinion is that when he
comes [to office] he will
bring a breeze with him.
Which way it will blow, I
cannot tell. . . . My fear is
stronger than my hope.
”
★ Section
SECTION1 1★ASSESSMENT
Assessment★
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
Checking for Understanding
1. Define suffrage, caucus, nominating
convention.
2. How was the election of 1824 decided?
3. Why was the presidential election of 1828 considered a turning point in American politics?
Critical Thinking
4. Determining Cause and Effect Re-create
the diagram shown here, and explain what
caused voter anger in the election of 1824
and the effect this anger had on American
politics.
Voter Anger
Cause
Effect
INTERDISCIPLINARY ACTIVITY
5. Citizenship Choose one of the candidates in the election of 1824, and create a
campaign poster that reflects his strengths.
CHAPTER 13 The Age of Jackson: 1824–1842
425
SECTION 2
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A New Spirit in the White House
GUIDE TO READING
Main Idea
President Jackson staffed the government with his supporters and battled
with the National Bank.
Reading Strategy
Organizing Information As you read about
the new spirit in the White House, use a
diagram like the one shown
here to list the arguments
Spoils
that Jackson used to defend
System
the spoils system.
Read to Learn . . .
★ how the spoils system operated under
President Jackson.
★ why President Jackson battled the
Bank of the United States.
Terms to Know
★ spoils system
★ kitchen
cabinet
★ pet bank
A
ANDREW JACKSON’S DUELING PISTOLS
short time before his inauguration, Jackson’s beloved wife Rachel died.
The grief-stricken Jackson hardly looked
like the person to lead the United States
into a new era. Jackson, however, set aside
his mourning in the name of the people.
In keeping with the new spirit of
democracy, Jackson gave a giant inaugural party. Rugged country folk and enthusiastic townspeople poured into the White
House. One onlooker described the scene:
“
426
Ladies fainted, men were
seen with bloody noses, and
such a scene of confusion
took place as is impossible
to describe. . . . Ladies and
gentlemen had only been
expected at this Levee
[reception]. . . . But it was
the People’s day, and the
People’s President, and the
People would rule.
UNIT 5 The Nation Expands: 1820 –1860
★ The Spoils System
Some Americans viewed the events of
Jackson’s Inauguration Day as a bad sign.
Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story
claimed that “the reign of King Mob
seemed triumphant.” Jackson, however,
saw the day as a signal of changes to
come. He intended to involve his supporters in far more than White House parties.
Rewards for Victory
”
Shortly after his inauguration, Jackson
fired many government employees. He
then replaced them with his own loyal
supporters. Politicians had quietly followed this practice for years. Jackson,
however, openly defended it. “To the victor belong the spoils of the enemy,”
declared Jackson.
In war, spoils mean riches that a victorious army seizes from its enemy. For
Jackson, the spoils of political victory
meant taking government jobs from
opponents and giving them to the victor’s own supporters. Jackson handed
out more political jobs to his supporters
than any President before him. Thereafter, the practice became known as the
spoils system.
Jackson believed the spoils system
expanded democracy. He felt any intelligent person could fill a government position. Changing officeholders, argued
Jackson, gave more people a chance to
take part in governing.
An Unofficial Cabinet
Jackson angered many people by relying upon a group of his own personal
advisers, nicknamed the kitchen cabinet.
Critics believed Jackson should seek the
advice of the cabinet members approved
by Congress. Jackson, however, turned a
deaf ear to critics. “I care nothing about
clamors,” he once remarked. “I do precisely what I think just and right.”
★ War With the Bank
In 1832 Jackson felt it “just and right” to
do battle with the Bank of the United
States. Debate had surrounded the Bank
ever since its creation in 1816. The federal
government deposited all of its money in
the Bank. As a result, the Bank had complete control over credit. It also decided
how much money state banks received.
Farmers and merchants hated the Bank.
So did Andrew Jackson.
POLITICAL CARTOON, “THE SPOILS SYSTEM”
Jackson focused his anger at Nicholas
Biddle, president of the Bank since 1823.
In Jackson’s mind, Biddle represented the
power of wealthy Easterners. Biddle, who
came from a well-to-do Philadelphia family, viewed Jackson with equal distaste.
The two headstrong leaders finally tangled in 1832. That year, Biddle asked Congress to renew the Bank’s charter,
although the charter was not due to run
out until 1836.
Henry Clay ran against Jackson for
President. He saw the Bank as a way to
unseat Jackson. If Jackson signed a congressional bill to renew the Bank, he
would lose votes in the South and West. A
veto of the Bank bill, on the other hand,
would cost Jackson votes in the North.
Clay skillfully pushed the Bank bill
through Congress. Jackson lay ill in his
bed when the news reached him. He
Footnotes to History
Log Cabin President Andrew Jackson was the first President born in a log
cabin. Earlier Presidents came from wealthy families. He was also the first President in office to ride a train.
CHAPTER 13 The Age of Jackson: 1824–1842
427
Picturing
H istory
“THE BANK WAR” This 1833 cartoon illustrates the disorder that followed President Jackson’s transfer of federal funds from the Bank of the United States into
state banks. How did Nicholas Biddle attempt to stop President Jackson?
found the strength, however, to veto the
Bank renewal bill and charged that the
Bank was corrupt and anti-American.
Shutting Down the Bank
Biddle said the President’s charges had
“all the fury of a chained panther biting at
the bars of his cage.” Biddle, however,
soon found the “panther” on the loose. In
the 1832 election, the common people
handed Jackson a sweeping victory.
Jackson promptly ordered Secretary of
the Treasury Roger Taney (TAW•nee) to
put federal funds into certain state banks,
known as pet banks, instead of into the
Bank of the United States. Biddle struck
back by restricting the flow of money out
of the Bank of the United States. Paper
money became so scarce that a financial
crisis seemed likely.
The loss of federal funds crippled the
Bank. In 1836 when its charter ran out, it
went out of business.
★ SECTION 2 ASSESSMENT ★
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
Checking for Understanding
1. Define spoils system, kitchen cabinet, pet bank.
2. What arguments did Jackson use to defend the
spoils system?
Critical Thinking
3. Forming Opinions Tell why you would
agree or disagree with Jackson’s use of the
spoils system.
428
UNIT 5 The Nation Expands: 1820 –1860
4. Summarizing Re-create the diagram shown
here, and describe the steps Andew Jackson
took that put the Bank of the United States out
of business.
Bank Goes
Out of
Business
INTERDISCIPLINARY ACTIVITY
5. The Arts Create a political cartoon about
Jackson’s reelection in 1832.
BUILDING SKILLS
Social Studies Skills
Interpreting a Political Cartoon
You probably recognize the figure of
Uncle Sam right away. Uncle Sam has been
a popular symbol for the United States for
more than 100 years. Recognizing different
kinds of symbols increases your skill in
interpreting political cartoons.
Clay, on the right, and President Jackson and
Vice President Van Buren, on the left. The race
concerns the Bank war. Another label tells
you the race is occurring “over Uncle Sam’s
course,” meaning in American politics. Clay
wanted to keep the Bank of the United States.
Jackson wanted to kill it.
Learning the Skill
A political cartoon is a drawing that
expresses a point of view about a certain
issue or topic. The creator of the cartoon
hopes to influence people’s opinions.
Political cartoonists use a number of tools
to make their point. They often use symbols
like Uncle Sam to represent something else.
A symbol can represent an idea, a concept, or a feeling. Symbols are often used in
political cartoons to stand for a variety
of ideas about
United States
government.
Cartoonists
also make use
of caricature.
A caricature is
a drawing that
exaggerate or
changes a person’s physical
features.
A
person who
talks a great
deal, for example, might have a caricature that shows
him or her with a very large mouth. A caricature can be positive or negative, depending
on the artist’s point of view.
Sometimes cartoonists help readers interpret their message by adding labels or
captions. The cartoon below has a title that
tells you the subject is a race between Henry
Practicing the Skill
1. How does the cartoonist represent the
Bank of the United States?
2. What does the club in Jackson’s hand
mean?
3. Which figure or figures are drawn in
negative caricature?
4. Do you think the cartoonist is for or
against the Bank of the United States?
Why?
Glencoe’s Skillbuilder Interactive
Workbook, Level 1 provides instruction and practice in key social
studies skills.
APPLYING THE SKILL
5. Find a cartoon about a present-day
political figure in a newspaper or magazine. Explain the cartoonist’s point of
view and the tools used to make the
point.
429
SECTION 3
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
Crisis and Conflict
GUIDE TO READING
Read to Learn . . .
Main Idea
Andrew Jackson promoted the
supremacy of the federal government.
★ how the debate over tariffs created
a crisis for the Union.
★ how Native Americans lost their
ancestral lands in the Southeast.
Reading Strategy
Terms to Know
Organizing Information As you read about
crisis and conflict during President Jackson’s
administration, use a diagram like the one
shown here to list the main opponents in the
Nullification Crisis and each sides’ position on
states’ rights.
★
★
★
★
★
★
Nullification Crisis
Opponents
Opponents
Position
Position
tariff
sovereign
states’ rights
nullification
secede
Trail of Tears
CHEROKEE ALPHABET B
y the time Jackson reached the White
House, he had learned to control his
famous temper. Jackson sometimes
enjoyed using his popular image as a firebrand, however, to make opponents back
down. Early in his second term, Jackson
needed all his control and skill to deal
with one of the biggest crises of his
administration.
★ The Tariff of
Abominations
Jackson’s crisis grew out of a tariff, or
tax on imported goods, passed by Congress in 1828, just before he came into
430
UNIT 5 The Nation Expands: 1820 –1860
office. As a result of the tariff, the price of
foreign goods sold in the United States
increased. Northern manufacturers and
Western farmers liked the tariff. High
prices on foreign goods made it easier for
them to sell their products to American
buyers. Southern planters, however, hated
the tariff. Because the South used many
imported goods, the tariff raised the price
of nearly everything Southerners purchased.
Unhappy Southerners nicknamed the
protective tariff the Tariff of Abominations. An abomination is something disgusting or hateful. They turned to John C.
Calhoun, Jackson’s Vice President, to battle against it.
The Argument for States’ Rights
In 1828 Calhoun stated that the Union
was an agreement among sovereign, or
independent, states. Each state government, said Calhoun, had the right to nullify, or cancel, any federal law—such as the
tariff—that it considered unconstitutional.
Calhoun had raised a serious issue. Did
the states have the right to limit the power
of the federal government? Or did the federal government have the final say in differences with the states? Calhoun favored
states’ rights—the belief that an individual state may restrict federal authority.
The Argument in Favor of the Union
In January of 1830, Senator Daniel
Webster of Massachusetts delivered a
scorching attack on states’ rights. He saw
states’ rights as a threat to the Union.
Webster stood on the floor of the Senate to
challenge a speech given by Senator
Robert Hayne of South Carolina. Hayne
had defended the idea of nullification, or
the right of states to declare federal laws
illegal.
In a two-day speech, Webster defended the Constitution and the Union.
Near the end of his speech he cried, “Liberty and Union, now and forever, one
and inseparable!”
★ Jackson vs. Calhoun
Nobody knew exactly where Jackson
stood on the issue of states’ rights. Many
Southerners dared to hope that Jackson—
a planter and slaveholder—might side
with them. In the spring of 1830, supporters of states’ rights invited the President
to a dinner party.
At the dinner, several guests gave
toasts in favor of states’ rights. Finally,
Jackson rose. The President locked eyes
with Vice President John Calhoun and
declared: “Our Federal Union—it must be
preserved!”
Calhoun did not flinch. With his eyes
firmly fixed on Jackson, Calhoun stood to
deliver his own toast. “The Union—next
to our liberty, the most dear!” With these
simple words, Calhoun placed the liberty
of a state above the Union.
In December 1832, Calhoun resigned
before his term as Vice President ended.
He sought and won election as a senator
from South Carolina. Martin Van Buren,
who had run with Jackson in Jackson’s
successful reelection in the fall of 1832,
became the next Vice President.
★ Nullification Crisis
Questions of states’ rights continued to
arise. In 1832 Southern anger boiled over
when Congress passed a new tariff on
imports. This tariff lowered earlier rates
slightly, but the South had wanted it
removed completely. South Carolina
lashed out by passing the Nullification
Act. This law declared the tariff “null,
void, and no law.” The people of South
Carolina also threatened to secede, or
leave the Union, if the federal government
challenged the state law.
When Jackson heard the news, he
vowed to use force if needed to uphold the
federal law. South Carolina had hoped
other states would follow its lead. No state
did, however. In March 1833, Congress
passed a compromise tariff proposed by
Henry Clay. Although the tariff lowered
rates only slightly, South Carolina accepted the proposal. The state legislature
repealed the Nullification Act. However,
the idea of secession remained firmly
planted in the minds of many Southerners.
★ A Tragic Policy for
Native Americans
President Jackson took a firm stand
against Southerners on the tariff and
on nullification. He sided with them,
CHAPTER 13 The Age of Jackson: 1824–1842
431
by promising to continue this policy. He
strongly believed that Native Americans
should give up their lands to settlers.
He also believed that Native Americans
could live more freely in Indian
Territory—or present-day Oklahoma.
By the 1820s, only about 120,000 Native
Americans remained east of the Mississippi. Many of those belonged to the
however, on another key issue of the
1830s. This issue involved the resettlement of Native Americans on lands west
of the Mississippi River.
When Jackson entered the White
House, the federal government already
had a long-standing policy of backing
white settlers moving onto Native American lands. Jackson campaigned for office
Removal of Native Americans, 1820 –1840
105° W
100° W
95° W
90° W
80° W
85° W
L. Superior
75° W
M
s
L. Michig
an
r on
pi R.
sip
Mi
n
Mi
ss
is
“Great
American
Desert”
Hu
Sauk
Fox
L.
45° N
ga
hi
ic
Wisconsin
Territory
O
L.
so
Ojibwa
r
L. E
u ri R
Ottawa
Shawnee
.
Potawatomi
Miami
40° N
Illinois
Oh
R ed
Ark.
Terr.
Chickasaw
BLACK COAT,
Virginia
Cherokee
North
Carolina
South
Carolina
Georgia
ATLANTIC
OCEAN
Alabama
Florida
Territory
Louisiana
30° N
Gulf of Mexico
Rio
n
Gra
de
Mexico
Seminole
Lands ceded to United States by Native Americans
Native American reservations
Cherokee Trail of Tears
Removal routes
0
25° N
0
100
100
200 miles
200 kilometers
Movement The United States government moved Native Americans from
their native land to reservations near Mexico. What Native American
nation was taken farthest from its homeland?
432
Del.
Choctaw
R.
Miss.
LEADER
Md.
Kentucky
Creek
CHEROKEE
Pennsylvania N.J.
Tennessee
Indian
Territory
35° N
io R.
New
York
ie
Ohio
Ind.
Missouri
io
ntar
UNIT 5 The Nation Expands: 1820 –1860
Picturing
H istory
THE TRAIL OF TEARS The United States government forced Native Americans from
their lands in the 1830s, relocating them to reservations west of the Mississippi
River. Why did the Cherokee call the forced march “The Trail of Tears”?
Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, Seminole,
and Cherokee Nations of the Southeast.
Southern cotton planters looked hungrily
at their rich lands and pressured Native
American leaders to exchange their traditional lands for territory in the West.
Resistance
In 1828, the year Jackson first won the
presidency, the Cherokee asked the
Supreme Court to defend the rights of
Native Americans in the Southeast. The
state of Georgia had claimed the right to
make laws for the Cherokee. The Cherokee claimed that federal treaties protected
Native Americans as sovereign, self-ruling nations.
The Cherokee presented a strong
defense. Most Cherokee had adopted the
customs of white settlers. A leader named
Sequoya had developed a written alphabet for the Cherokee. Using these letters,
the Cherokee learned to read and write.
They published a newspaper called the
Cherokee Phoenix. They also wrote a constitution that set up a representative form of
government.
Chief Justice John Marshall sided with
the Cherokee in their complaints against
Georgia. In 1832 the Supreme Court
declared Georgia’s actions against this
Native American group unconstitutional.
President Jackson, however, sided with
Georgia. He ignored the Court’s decision.
The Trail of Tears
While the Supreme Court debated
Cherokee claims, Jackson convinced his
supporters in Congress to pass the Indian
Removal Act of 1830. This act provided
funds for the federal government to
HISTORY
Student Web Activity
Visit the American History: The Early Years to 1877 Web
site at ey.glencoe.com and click on Chapter 13—Student Web Activities for an activity about the Cherokee.
CHAPTER 13 The Age of Jackson: 1824–1842
433
remove Native Americans from the eastern United States.
At first Native Americans refused to
sign treaties recognizing the law. Jackson,
however, used his power as President to
send federal troops onto Native American
lands. At gunpoint, Native Americans
signed new treaties.
The Cherokee held out until 1838. Then,
they too agreed to move west. That fall
Cherokee leader John Ross led his people
on a forced march to Indian Territory. The
brutal weather of the Great Plains claimed
thousands of lives.
By the time John Ross arrived in Indian
Territory, about one-eighth of his people
had fallen. Among those who died was
his wife Quatie Ross. The Cherokee called
their sorrowful trek “The Trail Where
They Cried.” History knows it as the Trail
of Tears.
Biography ★★★★
Osceola Makes War
In southern Florida, a Seminole leader
refused to listen to soldiers who asked the
Seminole to give up their land. The leader
was Osceola, a Creek from what is today
the state of Alabama. Osceola had moved
to Florida in the early 1800s while he was
in his teens. Living among the Seminole,
he soon became a respected hunter and
warrior.
Soldiers presented Osceola with a
treaty to sign. The treaty called for the
Seminole to move to Indian Territory
within 3 years. Osceola spoke for all his
Seminole followers. ”I love my land and
will not go from it!” he vowed.
The Seminole had fought the government once before. A large group of runaway slaves lived with the Seminole and
helped them in their fight. Jackson now
used federal troops to fight Osceola in the
Second Seminole War. The war lasted
seven years, from 1835 to 1842. Federal
troops in 1837 captured Osceola. They
then put him in a prison near Charleston,
South Carolina. Less than a year later,
in January 1838, Osceola died in his
prison cell.
Osceola’s people continued to fight
after his death. The federal government
rounded up many Seminole and sent
them west. Some Seminole, however,
slipped far into the Florida swamps
known as the Everglades. Their descendants still live there today.
★★★
★ SECTION 3 ASSESSMENT ★
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
Checking for Understanding
1. Define tariff, sovereign, states’ rights,
nullification, secede, Trail of Tears.
2. Why did the Tariff of Abominations create a
crisis for the Union?
Critical Thinking
3. Interpreting Primary Sources In an appeal
to the American people, the Cherokee wrote:
“We wish to remain on the land of our fathers.
We have a perfect and original right to remain.”
On what basis did the Cherokee claim ownership of land in the South?
434
UNIT 5 The Nation Expands: 1820 –1860
4. Examining Issues Re-create the diagram
shown here, and list
the ways in which
Native Americans
Resistance
resisted efforts to
remove them
from their lands.
INTERDISCIPLINARY ACTIVITY
5. The Arts Create a newspaper drawing
to illustrate the Indian Removal from the
Native Americans’ point of view for a
special issue of the Cherokee Phoenix.
SECTION 4
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
The End of the Jacksonian Era
GUIDE TO READING
Read to Learn . . .
Main Idea
Martin Van Buren won the presidency
but soon became embroiled in an
economic crisis.
Terms to Know
Reading Strategy
Organizing Information As you read about
the years following Andrew Jackson’s
presidency, use a diagram like the one shown
here to list the causes of the Panic of 1837.
Cause
★ what problems Jackson’s successor faced.
★ why an economic crisis developed in 1837.
★ how the Whigs came to power.
★ specie
Effect
Panic of 1837
HARRISON CAMPAIGN FLAG
O
n March 4, 1837, popular President Jackson turned over the reins of government to Martin Van Buren. After Van
Buren delivered his Inaugural Address,
Jackson rose to leave for his home in Tennessee. As he headed for his carriage, the
crowd raised its voice in one great cheer of
love and admiration.
★ The Election of 1836
While he was still in office, Jackson was
so popular that one observer suggested he
could remain President for life. In 1836,
however, Jackson used his influence to
win the Democratic nomination for his
hand-picked successor, Martin Van Buren.
The Whigs, the political party that
included the National Republicans by this
time, ran three candidates against Van
Buren. They hoped to split the popular
vote and force the election into the House
of Representatives. Van Buren stunned the
Whigs by claiming a sweeping victory.
Van Buren promised to walk “in the footsteps of President Jackson.”
People from Van Buren’s home state of
New York hailed the new President for his
skill in dealing with voters and other political leaders. Within two months of taking
office, however, Van Buren ran into problems that overwhelmed his skills. The
cause of his trouble reached back to Jackson’s war on the Bank of the United States.
CHAPTER 13 The Age of Jackson: 1824–1842
435
★ Problems Left
to Van Buren
In 1836, the charter for the Bank of the
United States ran out. Left free of controls
from the Bank, individual banks all over
the country set their own rules for operating. Many state banks began to loan
money freely. They also printed many
paper notes as money, more than they
could back up by specie. Specie is hard
cash in the form of gold or silver.
Easy credit and the large amount of
paper money from banks helped increase
prices, especially the price of land. As
land prices went up and up, speculators
bought more and more land. As long as
prices continued to rise, the speculators
could make a profit. Americans of all
classes became speculators. Most used
credit or borrowed paper money to pay
for the land.
➦
CAUSES
•
Easy bank loans encourage land
speculation
•
Jackson requires specie for government land purchases
•
Speculators lose money and cannot
repay bank loans
• Bank Panic of 1837
➦
EFFECTS
436
•
Economic crisis deepens throughout
the land
•
Federal government ends deposits in
private banks
•
Government creates federal treasury
to store its funds
UNIT 5 The Nation Expands: 1820 –1860
Economics
An Economic Crisis
The rush to buy government land at rising prices had alarmed Jackson during his
last year in office. He tried to stop the land
speculators in 1836 by issuing a much-disputed paper called the Specie Circular. The
paper stated that government land could
be purchased only with specie.
Because most speculators did not have
enough gold or silver to purchase land,
sales of land quickly fell. Reduced sales
lowered prices. As a result, many Americans who planned to pay off their loans by
selling their land at higher prices could
not pay their debts. Banks took over many
properties. The banks, however, could not
sell the land for enough money to recover
the loans they had made to speculators.
Problems for Banks and Business
With banks facing cash money problems, people began to fear that banknotes
would lose their value. People rushed to
exchange their paper money for gold or
silver coins. As a result, more and more
banks had trouble doing business.
The economic crisis worsened when the
price of cotton dropped in the South.
Lacking cash, many Southerners failed to
repay their bank loans. A similar situation
developed in the West when bad weather
wiped out wheat crops in 1836.
Because many people had less money to
spend, the demand for factory goods
dropped. Factory owners cut back on the
amount of goods they produced and laid
off workers. In some cities, many families
became homeless.
The Panic of 1837
Within three months after Van Buren
took office, the economic crisis reached its
peak. The so-called Panic of 1837 set in.
Several important banks in the East closed
their doors and went out of business.
Linking Past and Present
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
Two Wheelers
Before the 1800s, Americans usually turned to wagons,
coaches, and horses for transportation. The two wheeler,
however, was on its way.
Then
The Boneshaker
By about 1840, a few Americans were riding two wheelers
called velocipedes. With no
pedals or chains, the velocipede
had to be moved along by the
rider’s feet pushing on the
ground. Then pedals were
added to the front wheels, and
the early bicycle was born. The
wheels themselves were wooden. They made the ride so
bumpy that people called the
early bicycles “boneshakers.”
Now
Chains, Gears, and More
Today’s cyclists ride in style
and comfort. They speed along
on slim tires and have gears,
chains, and hand brakes to aid
them. If they are wise, they wear
helmets for safety. Perhaps
boneshaker riders would have
liked a little padding too.
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
Banks all over the country quickly did the
same.
The new President was not responsible
for the panic, but he did little to relieve it.
He felt, as did many members of the
Democratic party, that the government
should not interfere in the economy.
Van Buren did, however, persuade Congress to establish an independent federal
treasury in 1840. The government would
no longer deposit its money with private
individual banks as it had started to do
during President Jackson’s war with the
Bank of the United States. Instead, the government would store its money in the federal treasury. The private banks had used
government funds to back their banknotes.
The new treasury system would prevent
banks from using government funds in this
way and so help guard against further
bank crises.
★ The Election of 1840
Before the Panic of 1837, Americans
saw the Whigs as the party of the rich. The
Whigs wanted to change this image. With
the economic crisis spreading, the Whigs
searched in the late 1830s to find a candidate who would appeal to the common
people. In 1839 they chose General
William Henry Harrison, the hero of the
1811 Battle of Tippecanoe.
Log Cabin Campaign
Harrison came from a well-to-do Virginia family. He enjoyed a good education
and lived in a 16-room mansion on 3,000
acres (1,215 ha) of land. Most Americans
had no way of knowing about Harrison’s
background. The Whigs, therefore, bombarded the nation with advertisements
CHAPTER 13 The Age of Jackson: 1824–1842
437
Picturing
H istory
THE LOG CABIN CAMPAIGN William Henry Harrison’s 1840 election campaign
was full of slogans, banners, rallies, and parades. What was the Whigs’ campaign plan?
and posters that presented Harrison as a
humble Ohio farmer born in a log cabin.
The Whigs used the log cabin as the
symbol of the 1840 campaign. The Whigs
selected John Tyler of Virginia as Harrison’s running mate. They coined a catchy
slogan to capture the public’s imagination: “Tippecanoe and Tyler Too.”
The Whigs took the campaign on the
road. In towns all over the United States,
they organized rallies, parades, and barbecues. The strategy paid off. In 1840 a
huge voter turnout gave Harrison a
sweeping victory. Harrison walked away
with 234 electoral votes, compared to only
60 electoral votes received by Van Buren.
Death of President Harrison
Harrison had little time to enjoy his victory. While giving his inaugural speech,
he caught a cold. Harrison died of pneumonia a month later.
Harrison’s death thrust Tyler into the
presidency. Tyler would change the
course of history by following a policy of
westward expansion that even Jackson
would have approved.
John Tyler was the first Vice President
to become President upon the death of an
elected President. Since Tyler in 1841, six
other Vice Presidents have become President because a President died in office.
★ SECTION 4 ASSESSMENT ★
★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★
Checking for Understanding
1. Define specie.
2. How did the Whigs win the 1840 election?
Critical Thinking
3. Contrasting Re-create the chart shown here,
and explain how William Henry Harrison’s
background differed from the one portrayed
438
UNIT 5 The Nation Expands: 1820 –1860
in his presidential campaign.
Real Background
Campaign Image
INTERDISCIPLINARY ACTIVITY
4. Citizenship Write a campaign slogan for
the election of 1840. Design a campaign
button and write your slogan on it.
History
AND
THE ARTS
GEOGRAPHY
ECONOMICS
SCIENCE
MATH
Bank Panics
NATIONAL BANKNOTE
BANKNOTE ISSUED IN 1856
Bank panics, such as the Panic of 1837,
have much to do with fear. The fear comes
when people see signs that the banks or businesses in which they have placed their
money might fail. Fear becomes panic when
many people suddenly begin to withdraw
bank deposits or sell their investments.
The results of a panic can be widespread
and severe, as in 1837. Banks collapse. Loans
are hard to get. Businesses slump into a
depression, and workers lose jobs.
Causes of Bank Panics
Panics have a number of different causes.
Most often, however, conditions are very
much like those leading up to the Panic of
1837. People have plenty of money to spend.
Banks are willing to take risks. Speculators
are active. The worst panic in United States
history, known as the Great Depression,
struck in 1929.
One of the biggest causes of bank panics in
the early 1800s was that each bank printed
its own money. Hundreds of different kinds
of banknotes caused much confusion. In
addition, there was no way to control how
much or how little money the banks would
print.
The economic picture improved in the
1860s when the federal government set up
national banks. The national banks printed
common banknotes that gradually replaced
the many different state banknotes.
Today a system of 12 Federal Reserve
Banks, set up by the federal government, regulates all banks. It also controls the amount of
money in use. In addition, most banks have
federal insurance to protect depositors’
money. These measures help strengthen the
economy and give people confidence in the
banking system. Panics are thus unlikely.
Making the Economics Connection
1. How does fear relate to bank panics?
2. What are some causes of panics?
3. Why are panics unlikely now?
ACTIVITY
4. Design and create banknotes for your
own imaginary bank. Work with a partner to plan how to use your notes to
make a large purchase.
439
CHAPTER 13 ★ ASSESSMENT
2. Why did Jackson’s battle with the Bank create
an economic crisis for the nation?
HISTORY
American Democracy
Self-Check Quiz
Visit the American History: The Early Years to
1877 Web site at ey.glencoe.com and click
on Chapter 13—Self-Check Quizzes to prepare
for the chapter test.
3. Re-create the diagram shown here, and list
those groups that won voting rights during
the early 1800s as well as those who remained
unable to vote.
Right to Vote
Won
Using Key Vocabulary
Use the following vocabulary words to complete the sentences below.
sovereign
kitchen cabinet
spoils system
1. President Jackson worked with an unofficial
group of advisers known as his _________.
2. The _________ involved replacing government workers with one’s own supporters.
3. John C. Calhoun believed that the states were
_________ and so could nullify any federal
law within their borders.
Denied
History and Geography
The Election of 1828
Study the 1828 election map. Then answer the
questions that follow.
1.
Region Which general areas of the United
States voted for Andrew Jackson in 1828?
2.
Place Which three states divided their total
electoral count between the two candidates?
Election of 1828
Reviewing Facts
1. Name the two new political parties created
after the election of 1824.
2. List the powers the Bank of the United States
had over the nation’s money.
3. Tell how the Tariff of 1828 divided the North
and the South.
Understanding Concepts
Conflict and Cooperation
1. How did the tariff and nullification issue
develop into a crisis? How did Jackson handle
the nullification crisis in 1832?
440
UNIT 5 The Nation Expands: 1820 –1860
Vt.
1 Maine
N.H.
8
7
N.Y. 8
20 16
Pa. 28
Ill. Ind. Ohio
3
5 16 Va. 5
6
Mo.
24
3
Ky. 14
N.C. 15
Tenn. 11
S.C.
Ala.
11
Ga.
Miss.
5
9
La. 3
5
Mass. 15
R.I. 4
Conn. 8
N.J. 8
Del. 3
Md.
Total electoral votes received
Jackson 178 Democrat
83 National Republican
Adams
CHAPTER 13 ★ ASSESSMENT
Critical Thinking
1.
Understanding Point of View Why did Jackson think the spoils system helped further the
rights of ordinary citizens?
2.
Drawing Conclusions
“KING
Based on evidence in
this chapter, what conclusions can you draw
about Jackson’s view of presidential power?
Cooperative
Learning
ANDREW
THE FIRST”
CARTOON
Interdisciplinary Activity:
Civics
In groups of three or four students, do library
research to determine the popular vote in the elections of 1824, 1832, 1836, and 1840. Show the results
of your research in the form of election maps similar to the one on page 440. Write five questions that
explore trends shown on the maps. Challenge
other students to answer these questions.
Practicing Skills
Interpreting a Political Cartoon
Some people called Andrew Jackson a “man
of the people.” Others called him a powerhungry ruler. Use these questions to help you
decide the cartoonist’s view of Jackson.
1. What symbols does the cartoonist use to suggest kings and queens?
2. What symbols are used to represent the United
States?
3. How does the cartoonist use labels and
captions?
4. What does the cartoonist want readers to
think of President Jackson?
Technology Activity
the world during the presidency of
Andrew Jackson. Write a brief news
article, including a headline, about
the event. Share your
article with the class.
Writing
ABOUT
History
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Using
Your Jou
rnal
Imag
ine
asked to you have been
d
at Andr eliver a speech
ew Jack
son
funeral.
Using th ’s
e notes
in your jo
u
speech o rnal, create a
ff
sonal vie ering your perws of Pr
esident
Jackson
.
Using a Word Processor
Use the Internet and other library sources
to find an event that occurred in another part of
CHAPTER 13 The Age of Jackson: 1824–1842
441