Chapter 10, Section 1

Jacksonian Democracy

Expansion of Democracy 1800’s America was rapidly changing

Sectional economic differences North

Small workshops run by craftspeople were being replaced with large-scale factories owned by businesspeople and staffed by hired workers

South Small family farms gave way to large plantations owned

by wealthy whites and worked by African American slaves

Concentration of wealth into fewer hands Many Americans felt left behind

Expansion of Democracy Average American began to feel they lost power

in their government Government policies tended to only benefit the

wealthy

Andrew Jackson as the “people’s candidate” Reform minded Popular War Hero People believed he would defend the liberties of the

common man and slave states Bitter disappointment over Jackson’s loss in the 1824

election to John Quincy Adams

Expansion of Democracy

Democratic Reforms made during Jackson’s popularity Some states changed their voting qualifications to

allow more white males suffrage Revised voting rules typically excluded free blacks

Political parties began holding public nominating conventions

Party members choose party candidates Jacksonian Democracy

Period of expanding democracy in the 1820’s and 1830’s

Election of 1828

Democratic Party Formed in support of Jackson’s candidacy

Those who backed John Quincy Adams began calling themselves National Republicans

Election of 1828 was a rematch of the 1824 election Jackson chose John C. Calhoun as his vice president

The Campaign

Campaign focus on personalities Andrew Jackson portrayed as a war hero “rags-to-

riches” story John Quincy Adams was a Harvard graduate and son

of the famous John Adams, our nation’s second president

Jackson’s supporters portrayed Adams as being out of touch with everyday people

When the ballots were counted, Andrew Jackson won in a landslide victory

Jackson’s Inauguration Andrew Jackson’s supporters saw his

victory as a win for the common manMassive crowds gathered for his inauguration

Spoils systemAndrew Jackson awarded some of his biggest

supporters with government jobs Martin Van Buren became Secretary of State Kitchen Cabinet

Informal group of Andrew Jackson’s most trusted advisors that would typically meet in the White House Kitchen