2. Jacksonian Democracy
“-ian” = “relating to”
“Jackson” = General Andrew
Jackson
“democracy” = “the people
rule”
“Jacksonian Democracy” =
“the type of democracy during Andrew
Jackson’s presidency”
3. Jacksonian Democracy
In the early years of the
United States, the right to
vote belonged to free white
men with property.
This will change when
Andrew Jackson is
elected.
4. Jacksonian Democracy
In the early 1800’s…
...factories were replacing
Northern workshops.
...small family farms were giving
way to large plantations.
...some people believed the
government was run by wealthy
elites.
5. Jacksonian Democracy
Andrew Jackson was
supported by small farmers,
frontier settlers, and slave
holders.
They believed he would
defend the rights of the
common man.
6. Jacksonian Democracy
The common [white] man
became more important
when some states granted
suffrage to all white males.
Nominating conventions
allowed them to help direct
party politics, too.
This period of expanding
democracy is known as
Jacksonian Democracy.
7. Jacksonian Democracy
The Democratic Party formed
to support Jackson in the
election of 1828.
Jackson chose John C. Calhoun
as his vice presidential
running mate.
8. Jacksonian Democracy
Jackson promoted himself as a
war hero, a self-made man
who had risen out of
poverty.
Adams was the son of a
former president, a Harvard
grad, and wealthy.
See?
9. Jacksonian Democracy
Jackson’s inauguration was seen as a
victory for the common man.
He rewarded his supporters through
a “spoils system”.
Men like Martin Van Buren were a
part of his “Kitchen Cabinet” - a
group of informal advisors that
sometimes met in the White House
kitchen.
10. Jackson’s Administration
The growing sense of
nationalism as diluted by
the different interests of the
various sections of the US.
North
South
West
11.
12. Jackson’s Administration
North South West
Economy based on
manufacturing
Economy based on
agriculture
Emerging economy
Support for tariffs -
helped American
goods
Opposed tariffs -
increased cost of
imports
Support for internal
improvements and
the sale of public
lands
13. Jackson’s Administration
The Tariff of Abominations
(1827) was desired by
Northern factory owners,
but despised by Southern
plantation owners.
signed by then Pres. John Quincy
Adams
increased sectionalism
14. Jackson’s Administration
Do states have the right to
disregard (or “nullify”) a law
that has been passed by the
US Congress?
Why would this be good?
Why would it be bad?
15. Jackson’s Administration
John C. Calhoun sided with his
fellow Southerners against
the Tariff of Abomination.
He believed in states’ rights
and that states had the
power to nullify a federal
law they found to be
unconstitutional.
17. Jackson’s Administration
States’ rights was not a new
debate.
However, John C. Calhoun’s
theory allowed the state’s to
judge whether a law was
constitutional.
This was the role of the
Supreme Court.
18. Jackson’s Administration
In 1830, a heated debate
broke out in the Senate.
Robert Y. Hayne (SC) defended
states’ rights while Daniel
Webster (MA) argued the US
was one nation, not
independent states.
19. Jackson’s Administration
In 1832, South Carolina
decided to test the states’
rights theory.
It passed the Nullification Act
and threatened to leave the
Union!
Jackson was enraged. He
threatened to use the military
and no states supported South
Carolina.
20. Jackson’s Administration
While a compromise on tariff
rates was reached, neither
side changed their beliefs
about states’ rights.
This argument would lead to
the Civil War.
21. Jackson’s Administration
Jackson didn’t always support
greater federal power.
Specifically, he was not
supportive of the National
Bank because he believed it
was unconstitutional.
The Supreme Court case McCulloch
v Maryland decided that the
Bank was in fact constitutional.
22. Jackson’s Administration
After 8 years in the White House,
Jackson decided not to run again in
1836.
The Democrats nominated Martin
Van Buren, who defeated the four
candidates nominated by the
Whigs.
Van Buren won!
23.
24. Jackson’s Administration
In 1837, the country suffered an
economic depression. It became
known as the Panic of 1837.
While some of the blame belonged to
Jackson because of his economic
policies, most people blamed Van
Buren.
In 1840, Van Buren would lose his re-
election bid to William Henry
Harrison.
26. Indian Removal
Pres. Jackson and other politicians
wanted to open up land owned by
Native Americans to settlement by
American farmers.
In 1830, Congress passed the Indian
Removal Act, which allowed for the
resettlement of Native American
tribes to lands in the West.
28. Indian Removal
The tribes were removed to the
Indian Territory (present-day
Oklahoma) and the Bureau of
Indian Management was created to
manage their removal.
The tribes being removed - Creek,
Choctaw, Chickasaw, Seminole,
and Cherokee - were known as the
Five Civilized Tribes.
29. Indian Removal
The Choctaw were the first removed.
Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek
Nearly ¼ of died of cold, disease,
or starvation
The Creek were removed after an
uprising in 1836, and many were
lead to Indian Territory in chains.
The Chickasaw negotiated a treaty for
better supplies, but many still died.
31. Indian Removal
The Cherokee had tried to adopt
American culture in order to avoid
conflict.
government modeled on our
Constitution.
bicameral council
a court system
an alphabet
This was no help against a gold rush
in Georgia.
32. Indian Removal
Georgia lawmakers and militias tried
to remove the Cherokee, but the
Supreme Court ruled in Worcester
vs Georgia that Georgia’s laws did
not apply to them because they
were an independent nation.
The Court also ruled that only the
federal government had authority
over the Native Americans.
34. Indian Removal
Pres. Jackson took no action when
Georgia ignored the Supreme
Court.
Even though this violated his oath of
office to uphold the laws of the
land, few protested.
In 1838, federal troops began moving
the Cherokee along the 800-mile
Trail of Tears.
Nearly 4,000 people died on the
march.
35. Indian Removal
Chief Black Hawk led the Fox and
Sauk Indians in a revolt against
removal from their lands in IL.
By 1850, they were forced out.
Osceola led the Seminole of FL in the
Second Seminole War.
While nearly 4,000 were killed in the
fight, eventually the US decided to
give up and allow them to remain.