Chapter 13: The Rise of a Mass Democracy 1824-1840 Flashcards
- What were the advantages and disadvantages of the new politics of mass democracy? Were such things as the spoils system, party machines, and hoopla-driven campaigns inevitable accompaniments of popular democracy, or could the people have been mobilized by a more open and less partisan system?
The new politics system helped to strengthen America’s system of checks and balances. The dramatic baby kissing and dinner hosting, as well as the free gifts increased the number of voters. Some disadvantages that came about as a result of this were that people’s expectations rose, and politicians had difficulty fulfilling those expectations. Many empty promises were made that were difficult for the politicians to keep. The spoils system, party machines, and the excitement that arose as a part of this were bound to happen at some point. Politicians are always trying win more votes, and one of the easiest ways to do that is to win people over by stirring up excitement. An open system would be ideal, but without the excitement, they probably would not have gotten as many people to vote.
- Which side fared better as a result of the nullification crisis: the national government (and federal supremacy) or South Carolina (and states’ rights)? Why?
The national government fared better than South Carolina as a result of the nullification process. The crisis began when the South Carolina legislature failed to secure the two-thirds majority necessary for nullification. Congress passed the Tariff of 1832, which did not meet southern demands and caused much conflict. South Carolina experienced a political battle between those who wanted nullification and those who didn’t in its next election. The nullifiers won the two-thirds vote, and they soon declared the Tariff of 1832 to be null. In response, Andrew Jackson made threating statements and sent military enforcement to the state. Henry Clay pulled strings for a compromise bill, hoping to prevent a civil war, which was passed. The compromise allowed the Tariff to continue in South Carolina, but it was to drop gradually until it was back to its original state. In my opinion, South Carolina received the short end of the deal because Congress also passed a Force Bill, which allowed Jackson to use military force against the nullifiers if necessary. Neither side really “won” or “lost” this scuffle, however. The only truly positive result was that a civil war had been avoided.
- How dramatically did President Jackson change the balance of power between the three branches of government? Did he dramatically expand the power of the executive branch?
President Jackson expanded the power of the executive branch more than most of his predecessors. Jackson believed that the executive branch was above the judicial and legislative branches. He expanded the presidential power by vetoing Henry Clay’s recharter bill. By using this power, he was claiming the same two-thirds power of Congress for one man. He used this same power to drain the bank of its funds, causing it to collapse and cause huge problems for the American economy. Jackson drastically changed the power balance, but that would not always have positive results.
- How was Jackson able to make the Bank War such an effective symbol of democracy and of his presidency? Why were his opponents, like Clay and Biddle, unable to counter his appeals, even when their arguments appeared to have economics and stability on their side?
Jackson greatly disliked the national bank. It minted coins, but not paper money, causing the value of paper to be unstable and giving the bankers a great deal of power over the economy. Henry Clay and Nicholas Biddle were some of Andrew Jackson’s most prominent rivals in this matter. Clay, hoping to win the next presidency, came up with a scheme to send a recharter bill through Congress to Jackson. He expected Jackson to veto it and then lose the presidency because he would isolate his wealthy supporters by doing so. Clay’s scheme did not prevail, however, because the wealthy were now a minority and already disapproved of Jackson. This veto expanded Jackson’s power and became a symbol of his presidency. Clay continued his schemes, hoping to win the election of 1832. He possessed many advantages, including money and supposedly well-reasoned arguments, yet was defeated by Jackson’s popularity. Biddle met his match soon after. Andrew Jackson wanted to drain the national ban of its money, and did exactly that by siphoning its money to smaller holds. Biddle tried to retaliate by calling in the Bank’s loans, but the bank crashed and Jackson prevailed.
- What were the causes and consequences of the Texas revolt? Why did Texas remain for a time an independent nation rather than become a state of the Union?
The American drive towards expansion led them to move into Texas, despite Spanish claims. Texans disliked the imposing Spanish government. They refused to submit to Mexico’s anti slavery policies, and in 1835 a rebellion started. Texans declared their independence in 1836. Santa Anna was overthrown and the Mexicans were forced to recognize the Rio Grande as the border of Texas. America was therefore forced into a difficult situation. Americans had aided the Texans in their accumulation of arms, and most American citizens were in favor of annexing Texas. Many Texans wanted to be united with the states as well, but abolitionists in the north were hesitant to annex Texas because it would mean the addition of another slave state, which would topple the current balance. Slavery in the Union was to increase as a result of this annexation.
- How did the log cabin and hard-cider campaign of 1840 demonstrate the nature of the two-party system in the New Democracy?
In 1840, Martin Van Buren entered the race for the presidency against William Henry Harrison. The Whigs united in favor of Harrison, learning from their mistakes in the previous election and hoping to put someone new in the office. In an attempt to harm Harrison’s campaign, a democratic editor insulted the west by portraying Harrison as a farmer who should be happy with a log cabin and a barrel of hard cider. The Whigs adopted the insult as a symbol of their campaign, portraying him as a farmer and a friend of the masses, and Buren as a spoiled aristocrat. The campaign involved much excitement and “hoopla” that was typical of the two-party system. Harrison won the election as a result of these dramatics.
