Jacksonian Democracy

Question 1

Zeitgeist

Answer 1

• spirit of the times (modern= vibe)
• 1830s/40s= mass democracy
• Jackson= vessel for democratic energy, esp. in Western/Southern territories
• universal white male suffrage- all white men have access to participate in politics
• AJ= West XP + Pop increase + white male suffrage opened democracy, POPULISM

Question 2

Alexis de Tocqueville

Answer 2

• FR. Poli. Sci who toured US in 1830s–> wrote Democracy in America
• noticed that democratic values seeped into everything in America (express opinions, public debate, greater participation)= greater public equality

Question 3

Demagogue

Answer 3

• AJ promising to fight for common man
• get ahead by tearing down others
• rep as man of people, South + Frontier to battle corrupt North

Question 4

“King Mob” (1828-1836)– Democrat

Answer 4

• open 1829 inauguration to public, got WILD (controversial from day 1)
• “only reason he’s here is uncivilized mob who doesn’t know what’s good for them”
• Jackson= common man values + putting it in Fed. Gov
• forceful exec. branch (“King”)– he himself got involved in legislation

Question 5

Spoils System

Answer 5

-give government jobs to party loyalists (riding coattails)
»> AJ wanted to open up democracy to represent wishes of the ordinary people= CORRUPTION (bribery, scandal, nepotism, incompetence all in bureacracy), increase power of party bosses

Question 6

Veto

Answer 6

• shrink fed. gov spending= pay off nat’l debt (only Pres who ever has)
• vetoed more bills than all presidents combined up to this point
• people saw veto as roadblock to bulldoze through Congress’ agenda
• veto BUS, Maysville Rd (KY)
  » critics: all of vetoes, act like a king, centralize power of fed. gov around executive

Question 7

Whigs

Answer 7

• Anti-Jacksonian
• In BR, anti-monarchy, in US same message abt “King Mob”
• Clay/Webster/JQA (American System- Fed. Gov in economy)
• Feds>Whigs>Republicans
• coalitions: Northern biz + Rel. reformers
  »> Conservative movement has similar underpinnings to Whigs, financial backing + mass passion of rel.
• pro-central gov’t, Congress (wrestle power away from AJ), BUS
• spit on slavery, Reps= anti-slavery Whigs

Question 8

BUS Veto (1836)

Answer 8

• AJ opinions: BUS as vehicle for rich + elite, unconstitutional, prefers decentralized bank structure, unelected, regional bias
  1. veto BUS recharter
  2. ordered Sec. of Treasury to withdraw $ from BUS and disperse to (unreliable) pet banks
  3. “you’re fired” after refusal

Question 9

Specie Circulator (1836)

Answer 9

• executive order
• declared that land offices can only accept gold/silver for fed. land sales
  »> Why? Panic of 1819 devalued paper notes, so gov can’t recuberate (more paper notes than actual gold + silver)
• What happened? people tried to withdraw $ from bank but bank couldn’t, showed disparity between printed notes and g +s to back it up
• caused Panic of 1837

Question 10

Indian Removal Act (1830)

Answer 10

• provide $ and land to relocate tribes from SE to West (for expansion purposes)
• Cherokee tribe tried to assimilate but still pushed off land (tried to fight through petitions)

Question 11

SCOTUS

Answer 11

1. Cherokees v. Georgia-> Marshall dismissed claim of lawsuit bc Cherokees/Indians have “no standing” aka no right bc not American citizends (no legal rights)
2. Worcestor v. GA-> 2nd case by White citizen (Marshall couldn’t dodge)» WINS
   - Jackson ignored SCOTUS ruling w/backing from Congress (tyranny of majority)–> plunged forward w/relocation

Question 12

Treaty of New Ichota (1835)

Answer 12

• signed away Cherokee right to land
• signed by minority faction of Cherokees handpicked by gov. to make it seem like Cherokees consented to relocation

Question 13

Trail of Tears

Answer 13

• forced military relocation of Cherokees from GA to OK
• about 25% sucuumbed to journey + died
• no resources/nothing to protect from elements
• did not solve “problem” bc America still had to face Native Am’s during Xpansion

Question 14

1835

Answer 14

John Marshall dies-> AJ appoints Roger Taney (MD, Dem, slaveholder)
- Taney= Dred Scott decision

Question 15

Nullification Crisis

Answer 15

• highlight of Jackson’s presidency
• nullification = states striking down/ignoring federal laws
• SC tried to strike down Fed. tariff laws (power back to states, decentralize gov)
  » saw tariffs as scheme to sell cotton to NE for lower prices than they could on open market
• Webster: liberty AND union (can and should coexist) as a result of deep divide between state and fed. gov rights
• AJ: nullification as precursor to secession-> treason, priority= preservation of Union
  »> aud = common folk: you will lose bc state gov trying to trick you all (spoke directly to constituents)

Question 16

Force Bill (1833)

Answer 16

• Congress authorized use of military force in SC to put down nullification (insurrection/rebellion)
  »>legislative and executive handling issue together to teach states a lesson
• Clay: 10 yr compromise= tariff reduction (gradual phase out)
• SC backs down for now… (1st to secede when Lincoln is elected)