THE AGE OF JACKSON: SECTION 2

• During a time of growing Sectionalism, Andrew Jackson’s election in 1828, ushered in a new era of popular democracy

ELECTION OF ANDREW JACKSON

• Jackson, hero of the common man, won election in 1828 in part because the right to vote had been expanded to more citizens

• Many of the new voters supported the rugged westerner Jackson who also won re-election in 1832

ANDREW JACKSON IS ON THE $20 BILL

JACKSONIAN DEMOCRACY

• As part of his political philosophy, Jackson sought to grant political power to the common people

• Called The Spoils System or Jacksonian Democracy

INDIAN REMOVAL ACT - 1830

• Congress, with Jackson’s support, passed the Indian Removal Act in 1830

• Under this law, the federal government funded treaties that forced tribes west

• The Cherokee Tribe in Georgia refused and were supported by the Supreme Court

• Jackson refused to abide by the Court decision• Jackson said, “John Marshall (Supreme Court Chief

Justice) has made his decision, now let him enforce it.”• Trail of Tears followed the Court ruling as U.S. troops

rounded up the Cherokee and drove them west, mostly on foot. . .thousands died

JACKSON’S BANK WAR

• Jackson opposed National Bank so he created Pet Banks making Gov’t bank just a regular Bank

• Withdrew all gov’t. money

TARIFF OF “ABOMINATION”

THE NORTH

THE SOUTH

TARIFFS

NULLIFICATION THREAT

• In an attempt to free South Carolina from the tariff, John Calhoun (Jackson’s VP from S.C.), developed the Theory of Nullification

• He believed if a state found an act of Congress to be unconstitutional, it could declare the law void

PANIC OF 1837

• In 1836, Democrat Martin Van Buren won the Presidency

• Inherited the “Bank Wars”• Pet Banks printed money

without Gold backing• In 1837 a panic set in and

many banks closed, accounts went bankrupted, and unemployment soared

MARTIN VAN BUREN 1837-1841

HARRISON & TYLER

• Whig William Henry Harrison defeated Democrat Van Buren in the election of 1840

• Harrison died a month into his term

HARRISON 1841

TYLER 1841-1845