Chapter 10: The Triumph of the White Men's Democracy Flashcards
Democracy
Direct rule of the people.
Greek
People first started calling America a democracy between 1820-1830
Social leveling
The social classes could not be seen based on appearance or the places they went to.
Lowly people could rise up through the ranks
Equality of opportunity
Not equality of reward, but the equality of chances to get the reward
“Servants”
Those who were once called servants, are now the hired Help.
More respect than servants
Thomsonianism
Form of medical treatment bases on roots and herbs.
Make everyone their own physician.
Sentimentalism
Writing style that pulled emotional stops and thrilled readers and bring them to tears.
Usually written by women
The Quaker City
By Lippard
Gothic horror + heroine v. Villain
Hidden Hand
By Southworth
Heiress v. villainous suitors
Melodrama
Popular theatre style of the time.
Heroine + mustachioed villain + desu ex machine hero
Unpopular plays/actors could start riots
Edwin Forest
A famous actor, whose rival caused a riot that killed 23 people by simply being in a play
William Sydney Mount and George Caleb Bingham
Democratic painters.
Turned from portraits of famous people, and painted everyday moments
Greek Style
An impressive style of building that was very cheap.
Symbolized glory of achievements
Greenough
A sculptor who got in trouble for sculpting an image of George Washington, shirtless.
“Brahmin Poets”
Longfellow, J.R. Lowell, O.W. Holmes - wrote of lofty sentiments and moral messages
N. Hawthorne and H. Melville
Flopped as authors because their writing style was depressing.
Now The Scarlet Letter and Moby Dick are classics
Walt Whitman
Poet
Mouthpiece of rising democratic spirit.
Wrote very sexually
The Stump
Tree stumps that politicians would stand on to give speeches.
Seen as scandalous by the wealthy
Martin Van Buren
.
Loyal Opposition
Work off of your opponent’s mistakes, but do not get mad and deny them the right to do the same
The Democrats and the Whigs
State parties that agreed on a few things joined forces to become big
The Money Power
Money and the bank put the republic at risk.
Jacksonian Ideal
“Rabble-Rousers”
Others against the “money power” ideal
Laissez-Faire
.
Producers
Farmers, laborers, artisans, and small business owners.
Abused by the parasites
Parasites
Banks, speculators, and merchant capitalists.
Abused the producers
Tomas Skidmore
New York Working Men’s Party
No more inheritance and redistribution of property
Mechanics Union of Trade Associations
Philadelphia
First metropolitan labor movement.
Launched the Working Men’s Party to compete in local elections
Jacksonian Democracy
His presidency was so awesome, people had to give it a special name
Electoral College Plurality
At least half the electoral votes.
Jackson won this, but not the popular vote
Corrupt Bargain
Henry Clay lost, so he asked his supporters to vote for Adams.
In return, Adams made Clay Secretary of State.
People became suspicious of Adams.
Tariff of Abominations
Made to try and please everyone.
Jackson supporters voted for it because they knew it would make people mad at Adams.
Backfired
Logrolling
Buying out votes.
I will vote for you if you vote for me
Rachel Jackson
Adams supporters claimed she was having an affair because she did not want to marry Jackson.
Mud Slinging
The Spoils System
Rotation of office
Called such because people thought he was doing it for his friends
Peggy Eaton Affair
Brought up poor, lonely Peggy (ignored by other wives due to social standing).
Only Buren backed him, everyone else quit.
Cherokee Nation
Refused to move from their lands
Civilized Indian tribe
Sequoyah
Wrote a written language for the Cherokees
Worcester v. Georgia
Ruled that Georgia had no right to get involved in Indian affairs
Trail of Tears
4 thousand Indians died on this path to Oklahoma
Peculiar institution
What the north called slavery.
South was getting worried about attacks on it
Nullification
State’s right to ignore certain federal laws
Jefferson’s Day Dinner
Calhoun openly defied Jackson
Special Convention of South Carolina
Voted to nullify tariffs
Force Bill
President can enforce revenue laws
Bank War
Attack waged by Jackson on the bank of the US
Nicholas Biddle
President of the bank.
People had confidence with him.
Able manager
Kitchen Cabinet
No official advisers of Jackson
Bank Veto
Jackson vetoed Biddle’s request for a recharter.
Unconstitutional
Violated fundamental rights of the people
Election of 1832
Built off of the standing bank or no bank ideal.
Jackson’s popular vote was not as high was it had been in 1828
Roger B. Taney
Jackson loyalist who replaced a cabinet member who disagreed with Jackson
Pet banks
The few state banks that Jackson transferred the government deposits to
Whigs
A political party based on a common hate of Jackson
Executive usurpation
Rallying cry against Jackson
King Andrew
What the Whigs called Jackson.
Propaganda
Anti-Masonic Party
A part of the Whigs.
Detested Jacksonianism because it excepted diversity
Government should restrict sinful behavior
Loco-Foco
Radicals
Extreme bank haters
Did not join the Whigs
Made the Equal Rights Party
Equal Rights Party
See Loco-Foco
Specie Circular
Stopped the rising cash volume
Specie only
Election of 1836
Buren for president
Whigs chose a candidate for each region
Panic of 1837
Beyond the control of American policy makers
Gamed on Jacksonian Finance
Independent Subtreasury Bill
Established public place for government funds
Not tied to the bank
Wig opposition stalled the bank for 3 years
Tippecanoe and Tyler Too
Campaign slogan of Henry Harrison and john Tyler. Harrison died giving a speech in the rain.
