The Age of The Age of JacksonJackson

The Rise of the “Common The Rise of the “Common Man”Man”

Who were “Common Who were “Common People”?People”?

Americans who were not rich, Americans who were not rich, not well-educated, and not slavesnot well-educated, and not slaves

Worked hard at small Worked hard at small businesses, farms, or jobsbusinesses, farms, or jobs

Some lived in citiesSome lived in citiesSome owned small farms or lived Some owned small farms or lived

on the frontieron the frontier

Which of the following Which of the following would describe a common would describe a common

person?person? Hard workerHard worker Has a jobHas a job Owns no slavesOwns no slaves Owns a factoryOwns a factory Expects to Expects to

have a say in have a say in governmentgovernment

Has a very Has a very large houselarge house

Has a familyHas a family Wears fancy Wears fancy

clothesclothes Has little free Has little free

timetime

States change election States change election lawslaws

In 1800s many states changed their In 1800s many states changed their election laws allowing all white men to election laws allowing all white men to vote whether or not they owned vote whether or not they owned property.property.

Women, blacks, and Indians were still Women, blacks, and Indians were still not allowed to votenot allowed to vote

The “common man” wanted different The “common man” wanted different kinds of laws than the educated rich men kinds of laws than the educated rich men that had been running the country since that had been running the country since 1789.1789.

Election of 1824Election of 1824

Andrew Jackson—frontiersman and Andrew Jackson—frontiersman and military heromilitary hero

Henry Clay--Speaker of the House of Henry Clay--Speaker of the House of Representatives—also from a frontier Representatives—also from a frontier statestate

John Quincy Adams—Monroe’s Secretary John Quincy Adams—Monroe’s Secretary of State—from the Northeastof State—from the Northeast

William Crawford—Secretary of TreasuryWilliam Crawford—Secretary of Treasury—represented Southern planters—represented Southern planters

Result: Pres. John Q. Result: Pres. John Q. AdamsAdams

Jackson received more elector votes than Jackson received more elector votes than anyone else, but not a majority, so House anyone else, but not a majority, so House of Representatives would vote for of Representatives would vote for PresidentPresident

Clay knew he didn’t have enough support Clay knew he didn’t have enough support to win, so he convinced rep. to vote for to win, so he convinced rep. to vote for Adams, winning him the electionAdams, winning him the election

Jackson and his supporters form Jackson and his supporters form Democratic Party—said to support the Democratic Party—said to support the “common man”“common man”

Election of 1828Election of 1828 Democrats new campaign strategy: Democrats new campaign strategy:

Encouraged factory workers and Encouraged factory workers and farmers to register to votefarmers to register to vote

Jackson gave newspaper interviews and Jackson gave newspaper interviews and went to political meetingswent to political meetings

People liked him because he was a People liked him because he was a frontier hero who didn’t back down from frontier hero who didn’t back down from a fight—spoke the “language” of the a fight—spoke the “language” of the common man (talked about things that common man (talked about things that concerned them, understood their point concerned them, understood their point of view)of view)

President John Q. AdamsPresident John Q. Adams

Was dignified manWas dignified man Didn’t understand new campaign Didn’t understand new campaign

strategies, thinking them undignified strategies, thinking them undignified Didn’t make speeches or go to ralliesDidn’t make speeches or go to rallies Lost the electionLost the election

Andrew Jackson (“Old Andrew Jackson (“Old Hickory”)Hickory”) Born in backwoods Born in backwoods

of South Carolina, of South Carolina, orphaned at age 14, orphaned at age 14, studied law and studied law and became successful became successful lawyer and land lawyer and land speculatorspeculator

Gained national Gained national attention as military attention as military leader (Battle of leader (Battle of New New Orleans/Florida)Orleans/Florida)

Helped write Helped write Tennessee’s Tennessee’s constitution and constitution and became the state’s became the state’s first first representative to representative to Washington.Washington.

Owned a cotton Owned a cotton plantation close to plantation close to Nashville. People Nashville. People still tour his home, still tour his home, The Hermitage, The Hermitage, there.there.

““King Andrew”King Andrew”

Did not always go along Did not always go along with Congress, taking a with Congress, taking a strong leadership position strong leadership position as Presidentas President

His enemies referred to His enemies referred to him as “King Andrew” as him as “King Andrew” as seen by this political seen by this political cartoon.cartoon.

He vetoed more bills than He vetoed more bills than any other President in any other President in historyhistory

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Tariff of 1828Tariff of 1828 Tariff—tax on imported goodsTariff—tax on imported goods High tariffs protect American industries High tariffs protect American industries

from foreign competitionfrom foreign competition South didn’t need a tariff to protect South didn’t need a tariff to protect

their main industry, cotton, because it their main industry, cotton, because it wasn’t imported, so the result of the wasn’t imported, so the result of the tariff for them was higher prices on tariff for them was higher prices on goods imported from Europegoods imported from Europe

South Carolina feared federal South Carolina feared federal government’s power to pass a tariff that government’s power to pass a tariff that they didn’t want might translate into they didn’t want might translate into power to abolish slaverypower to abolish slavery

States Rights—idea that the states States Rights—idea that the states should have more rights or power should have more rights or power than the federal governmentthan the federal government

South Carolina passed a state law—South Carolina passed a state law—the Nullification Act—to oppose tariff. the Nullification Act—to oppose tariff. They said that a state didn’t have to They said that a state didn’t have to obey a federal law it didn’t likeobey a federal law it didn’t like

South Carolina politicians also talked South Carolina politicians also talked about leaving the “Union” (United about leaving the “Union” (United States) and becoming a separate States) and becoming a separate countrycountry

Jackson’s ResponseJackson’s Response

““Our Union, it must be preserved.”Our Union, it must be preserved.” Sent soldiers to fight an army raised Sent soldiers to fight an army raised

by South Carolinaby South Carolina Henry Clay led another compromise—Henry Clay led another compromise—

to lower the tariff (charge lower tax to lower the tariff (charge lower tax on imported goods)on imported goods)

Crisis was over for the time, but Crisis was over for the time, but South Carolina still believed in states’ South Carolina still believed in states’ rightsrights

Jackson v. National BankJackson v. National Bank

Banks helped the country grow by Banks helped the country grow by loaning money for growth of factories, loaning money for growth of factories, people to buy new land for farms, and people to buy new land for farms, and for states to build roads and canalsfor states to build roads and canals

Bank of the United States housed Bank of the United States housed government’s money and loaned money government’s money and loaned money to smaller banksto smaller banks

Problems with bank administration Problems with bank administration made it unpopular with common peoplemade it unpopular with common people

http://loc.harpweek.com/LCPoliticalCartoons/IndexDisplayCartoonMedium.asp?SourceIndex=People&IndexText=Jackson%2C+Andrew&UniqueID=10&Year=1836

Jackson refused to sign a bill to Jackson refused to sign a bill to renew the bank’s charterrenew the bank’s charter

Took all of government’s money out Took all of government’s money out of the Bank of the United States and of the Bank of the United States and put it in smaller “pet” banksput it in smaller “pet” banks

Tried to keep rich from controlling Tried to keep rich from controlling money, but in reality it allowed them money, but in reality it allowed them to use government’s money unwiselyto use government’s money unwisely

Banks started printing their own paper Banks started printing their own paper money—more than they had “hard money—more than they had “hard money” (gold or silver coins) to “cover” money” (gold or silver coins) to “cover” the paper moneythe paper money

Land speculators made money selling Land speculators made money selling western landwestern land

Jackson tried to solve the problem by Jackson tried to solve the problem by requiring that people purchasing requiring that people purchasing western land pay only gold or silver, but western land pay only gold or silver, but banks didn’t have enough hard money—banks didn’t have enough hard money—caused nation-wide problems.caused nation-wide problems.

1830 Indian Removal Act1830 Indian Removal Act White people wanted to settle land in White people wanted to settle land in

West, but many Native Americans still West, but many Native Americans still lived there.lived there.

Act allowed government to force Indians Act allowed government to force Indians to move west of Mississippi Riverto move west of Mississippi River

Cherokee of Georgia took their case to Cherokee of Georgia took their case to Supreme Court—John Marshall ruled in Supreme Court—John Marshall ruled in their favor, but Jackson didn’t like Indians their favor, but Jackson didn’t like Indians and supported their removal anyway.and supported their removal anyway.

Trail of Tears—removal of Cherokee to Trail of Tears—removal of Cherokee to OklahomaOklahoma

Martin Van BurenMartin Van Buren

Had been Jackson’s Vice Had been Jackson’s Vice PresidentPresident

Jackson followed Washington’s Jackson followed Washington’s precedent of two terms, and precedent of two terms, and helped get Van Buren elected in helped get Van Buren elected in 18361836

Panic of 1837 Panic of 1837 Growth of country had encouraged banks to Growth of country had encouraged banks to

loan more money than they had—banks loan more money than they had—banks failed and the economy collapsedfailed and the economy collapsed

Panic becomes a depression that lasted 6 Panic becomes a depression that lasted 6 yearsyears

Anti-Jackson people blame Democrats for Anti-Jackson people blame Democrats for depression—form Whig party depression—form Whig party

Whig President William Henry Harrison Whig President William Henry Harrison elected after Van Buren in 1840 (John elected after Van Buren in 1840 (John Tyler=V.P.) Tyler=V.P.)

Slogan-Tippecanoe and Tyler, too!Slogan-Tippecanoe and Tyler, too!