CHAPTER 12 • SECTION 1
Analyze a Chart
Views of Democracy
Remind students that Jefferson played a key
role in establishing democracy in the early
years of the United States. Lead a discussion
about the cultural and societal changes that
led to changes in the concept of democracy in
the years between Jefferson’s and Jackson’s
presidencies. (population increased, social
structure changed, more lower and middle
class landowners on farms and in cities)
Views of Democracy
Jackson’s presidency marked a dramatic shift in
American politics. Although Jackson’s Democrats
had grown out of Jefferson’s Democratic-Republican
Party, ideas of democracy had changed.
JEFFERSONIAN
DEMOCRACY
JACKSONIAN
DEMOCRACY
Government by an
educated few
More public
involvement in
government
Voting restricted to
property owners
Voting expanded to all
white males
Limited government
Limited government
with a stronger
executive branch
CRITICAL THINKING ANSWERS
1. Draw Conclusions Possible Answer:
Jefferson, because he restricted voting
rights and retained a powerful Congress;
Jackson, because he made the executive
branch stronger
CRITICAL THINKING
1. Draw Conclusions Which president do you think
exercised more power? Why?
2. Compare and Contrast What ideas did Jeffersonians
and Jacksonians share in common?
in the house of God than . . . live in that palace
at Washington.”
The tragedy of his wife’s death overshadowed
Jackson’s inauguration. But the capital was full
of joy and excitement. Thousands of people
attended the ceremony.
A throng followed Jackson to the White House.
At the reception, people broke china and glasses
as they grabbed for the food and drinks. The rowdiness finally drove Jackson to flee the White
House. As Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story
observed, “The reign of King Mob seemed triumphant.”
A New Political Era Begins Jackson’s inauguration began a new political era. In his campaign,
he had promised to reform government. He
started by replacing many government officials
with his supporters. This practice of giving government jobs to political backers became known
system. The name comes from the
as the spoils system
statement “to the victor belong the spoils [possessions] of the enemy.” Jackson defended the
principle of “rotation in office,” noting that it
broke up one group’s hold on government.
CAUSE AND EFFECT Explain how Jackson helped
change American democracy.
Answer: political power extended to more people
2. Compare and Contrast They both felt
government should be limited.
Rising Sectional Differences
KEY QUESTION How did economic issues increase sectional tensions?
Teach
At the time of Jackson’s inauguration, the country was being pulled apart by
conflicts among its three main sections. Legislators from the Northeast, the
South, and the West disputed three major economic issues:
Rising Sectional Differences
• the sale of public lands in the West
• federal spending on internal improvements, such as roads and canals
• rising tariffs
Reader, Recorder, Reporter
• What were the three main economic issues
dividing the nation in 1828? (the sale of land
in the West, federal spending on internal
improvements, and rising tariffs)
Regional Interests Westerners wanted the federal government to sell
public lands at low prices. They hoped to encourage settlement and give the
section more political power. Northeasterners feared that cheap Western land
might attract workers who were needed in Northeastern factories.
Better transportation routes would help bring food and raw materials
to the Northeast and manufactured goods to Western markets. Southerners opposed federal spending on such projects because they were financed
through tariffs.
• Which regions supported the construction of
better transportation routes? Explain your
answer. (Northeast and West, because new
routes would increase trade between the two
regions)
• Main Ideas and Details How did rising
tariffs impact the Southern economy? (They
hurt the Southern economy because planters
depended on trading cotton for foreign
manufactured goods, and tariffs made those
goods more expensive.)
Unit 5 Resource Book
• Historic Supreme Court Decisions,
pp. 191–192
398 Chapter 12
INTERDISCIPLINARY ACTIVITIES
CONNECT
to Civics
Rachel Jackson and Campaign
Politics
During Jackson’s run for the presidency, his
opponents used personal attacks on the
character of his wife, Rachel Jackson, to turn
voters against Jackson.
• Ask small groups of students to discuss
what they think about this type of negative
campaigning.
• Then have students list what they feel are fair
and unfair campaign topics.
398 • Chapter 12
CONNECT
to Art
Create Still Scenes of Jackson’s Life
Have small groups of students create still scenes
of events in Jackson’s life. To help students
visualize each scene, have them imagine they
are posing for a painting. Students’ body
positioning and facial expressions should reflect
action and emotion. Have groups write a brief
summary of their scene. As students pose in
each scene, read aloud the summary. The rest
of the class should make quick gestural pencilsketches of each scene as they observe it.
CHAPTER 12 • SECTION 1
Southerners Against Tariffs Tariffs made imported goods more expensive
than American-made goods, which helped protect Northeastern factories
from foreign competition. But Southern planters depended on trading
cotton in exchange for foreign manufactured goods. Rising tariffs hurt the
South’s economy.
MAIN IDEAS AND DETAILS In what ways did economic issues increase sectional
tensions?
Answer: Conflicts arose
over the sale of public
lands, federal spending,
and tariffs.
Federal Government vs. the States
Teach
Federal Government vs.
the States
KEY QUESTION What issues were at stake in the debate over states’ rights?
Roleplay Your Answer
The issue of tariffs fueled the fires of a national debate that had been raging
ever since the nation was formed. That debate was over the balance of power
between federal and state governments. Some supported a strong federal
rights, or the rights of the states to make
government. Others defended states’ rights
decisions without interference from the federal government.
COMPARING
• How did John C. Calhoun view the issue of
nullification? (I supported a state’s right to
nullify, or reject, a federal law it considers
unconstitutional.)
• What was Jackson’s opinion in the debate over
states’ rights? (I supported states’ rights, but
I did not believe they should be able to nullify
federal law.)
Sectional Interests
• Main Ideas and Details Why did South
Carolina threaten to secede from the Union?
(We disagreed with the tariff acts of 1828
because we felt Northeast interests were being
given more importance than Southern interests,
and the Southern economy was suffering for it.)
WESTERNERS
• Wanted Western lands sold at
low prices
• Supported federal spending on
internal improvements
NORTHEASTERNERS
• Wanted Western lands sold
at higher prices
• Supported federal spending
on internal improvements
COMPARING Sectional Interests
• Supported high tariffs
SOUTHERNERS
• Opposed federal spending
on internal improvements
• Opposed rising tariffs
Connect to Today The United States has free trade agreements
with many foreign countries. In what ways can free trade both help and hurt American businesses?
CRITICAL THINKING
The Age of Jackson 399
DIFFERENTIATING INSTRUCTION
ANALYZE POINT OF VIEW People living
in each region banded together because of
common interests. Compromise was critical
if the Union was to stay together. Ask
students to suggest possible compromises
after reading each region’s point of view.
(Possible Answers: Increased spending on
transportation routes could interconnect
all three regions so that agricultural and
manufactured goods could reach Southern
markets as well; land prices could be
moderately priced so workers could afford
to move West if they wanted, but they could
still purchase land in the Northeast if they
chose to work in factories there.)
CRITICAL THINKING ANSWER
Inclusion
Pre-AP
Use Symbols to Illustrate
Points of View
Tariffs vs. Taxes Graphic
Organizer
Pair students who have difficulty with
cognitive skills, such as analyzing,
with high-ability students. Have pairs
work together to draw symbols or
simple illustrations for each point in
the “Comparing Sectional Interests”
feature. Then have students compare
and contrast symbols among the three
regions to better understand each
region’s point of view on major economic
issues.
Have students investigate similarities
and differences between tariffs and
taxes. Have each student record his or
her findings in a graphic organizer. Ask
students to draw their graphic organizers
on a blank transparency. Then have
them take turns presenting their graphic
organizers to the rest of the class.
As each student presents, audience
members should add any missing details
to their own graphic organizers.
Connect to Today Help—No tariffs
on American exports would help sales in
other countries; Hurt—No tariffs on foreign
imports would lower their prices and could
hurt some American businesses.
Teacher’s Edition • 399