Antebellum America: Transformation of Politics Flashcards
Movement in Rhode Island which held a People’s Convention to write a new state constitution and inaugurate a new, extralegal governor
Movement collapsed
Demonstrated passions around excluding whites from voting – Rhode Island had continued to require land ownership for voting
Dorr War
Book based on journey around America identifying the unique characteristics of the country:
democracy was more than the right to vote
culture that encouraged individual initiative, belief in equality, active public sphere
Democracy in America by Alexis de Tocqueville
Blueprint for government investment presented by Madison in December 1815 including:
new national bank
tariff on imported manufactured goods
federal financing of roads and canals
American System
Established by Congress in 1816.
Entity that could:
issue paper money, collect taxes, pay government debt, ensure paper money issued by local banks had value, paper money exchanged for amount of “specie” or gold
After economic downturn in 1818, shrank the amount of currency available for loans and helped create the economic collapse of 1819
Second Bank of the United States
or
Second National Bank
Surpreme Court case that established government had the power to pass “necessary and proper laws”
States power to tax was the power to destroy an agency
McColloch v. Maryland
Monroe defeated Rufus King, Federalist
Federalist field electors in only two states in 1820
Marked end of the Federalist Party
Election of 1816
Term used by a newspaper to describe the years between 1816 and 1823
Following the War of 1812, the United States remained generally free of foreign conflicts, while political strife at home was at a bare minimum because of the collapse of the Federalist Party
Era of Good Feelings
Proposal by Henry Clay in 1820 to maintain balance between free and slave states
Maine was admitted to the Union as a free state and Missouri as a slave state, while any part of the Louisiana territory north of 36 degrees, 30 inches would be free territory
Missouri Compromise
Statement that an attack by a European state on any nation in the Western Hemisphere would be considered an attack on the United States
Reaction to formation of Mexico, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru.
US would oppose further colonization in the Americas and abstain from wars in Europe
Established US as the dominant power in the Western Hemisphere
Monroe Doctrine
Andrew Jackson was the only candidate to have national support
John Quincy Adams, Wiliam Crawford, Henry Clay only had regional support
Decided in the House after no candidate had electoral college victory
Clay gave support to Adams and became Secretary of State in Adams presidency. Charge of “corrupt bargain” clung to Clay for his career
Laid groundwork for new system of political parties: Democratic Party and Whig Party
Election of 1824
Held expansive view of federal power
Proposed national university, observatory, naval academy
John Quincy Adams
Martin Van Buren established the political apparatus of the Democratic Party
Jackson won election with 650,000 votes to Adams 500,000 votes
Demostrated how universal white male voting,organized by national political parties had transformed American politics
Election of 1828
Patronage system in which an elected official is able to fill government jobs with political allies and former campaign workers
Andrew Jackson began the practice
Spoils System
Party that arose in 1834 in opposition to President Andrew Jackson
Opposed Jackson’s great political power and use of the spoils system
Favored an activist federal government that could enhance freedom and create conditions for economic development
Whig Party
Party born during the candidacy of Andrew Jackson
Drew principles from Thomas Jefferson and advocated limited government, belived liberty was a private entitlement best secured by local government
First president to come from the West
Achieved fame as a general, fighting the Creeks and winning the Battle of New Orleans in the War of 1812
Founded the Democratic Party and was hailed as the champion of the common man
Andrew Jackson
Aroused consideration opposition in South Carolina
Raised prices on imported manufactured goods
South Carolina sought to “nullify”
Tariff of 1828
Belief that a state has the right to stop any federal law it believed to be unjust
Andrew Jackson was able to resolve the crisis in 1832
Concept was accepted by many Southerner and controversy over this was a cause of the Civil War
Nullification Crisis
Leading theorist of nullification including idea of “concurrent majority” in which each major interest, inlcuding slaveholders, should have veto power over issues affecting it
Lost influence as Vice President
John C. Calhoun
South Carolina declared this tariff null and void
Resulted in Jackson persuading Congress to enact the Force Bill authorizing the use of the army and navy to collect duties
Tariff of 1832
1832 legislation that gave President Andrew Jackson the power to invade any state if that action was necessary to enforce federal law
Bill was in response to the nullifcation of federal tariff regulation by the legislature of South Carolina
Force Act
Part of effort to remove Native Americans from western lands to make way for American settlement
Cherokee, Cickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, Seminole
Authorized the president to buy all the Native American lands east of Mississippi and to purchase new lands for the Native Americans west of the Mississippi
Repudiated Jefferson ideas that Indians could be assimilated
Indian Removal Act of 1830
1831 Supreme Court case in which the Cherokees claimed that Georgia had no right to enforce laws in Cherokee territory since the Cherokees were a sovereign nation
Chief Justice Marshall ruled that the Cherokees were a “domestic dependent nation” and could not appeal in a federal court
Established Indians as “wards” of the federal government
Cherokee Nation v. Georgia
Political battles surrounding the attempt by President Andrew Jackson to greatly reduce the power of the Second Bank of the United States
Jackson claimed the bank was designed to serve special interests in America and not the common people
Bank War
Headed the Second Bank of the U.S.
Engineered bill to extend the bank for 20 years
Jackson vetoed the bill while enhancing the power the presidency through the veto and direct appeal to the people
Nicholas Biddle
Nickname for state banks that Jackson influenced the transfer of money to during his 2nd term
Pet Banks
Speculative boom that collapsed leading to depression until 1843. Prices fell 25%
Panic of 1837
Rule issued by Jackson administration limiting payment for public land to only gold and silver
Specie Circular
Van Buren elected
Election of 1836
Van Buren could not hold Democratic coalition together
Whigs nominated William Henry Harrison without a platform – “log cabin” candidate and champion of the common man
Harrison won a sweeping victory but died a month later of pneumonia. Tyler assumed presidency and vetoed every Whig measure.
Tyler became referred to The Executive Ass and His Accidency
