Lesson 1: Jackson Wins the Presidency

Question 1

Alexis de Tocqueville Definition

Answer 1

He was a French nobleman, politician, and writer. He visited the United States during the early 1830s and wrote a book about democratic life there.

Question 2

Andrew Jackson Definition

Answer 2

He was the seventh president of the United States and served from 1829 to 1837. He was a military hero during the War of 1812 and the Seminole Wars. He supported full democratic rights for all white men, Native American removal, and a limited federal government.

Question 3

Democratic Party Definition

Answer 3

a U.S. political party dating from the 1820s to the present that at first spoke out for small farmers and workers against moneyed businessmen and whose policies have changed over the years

Question 4

Henry Clay Definition

Answer 4

a leading member of the House of Representatives for Kentucky under Presidents Madison and Monroe who spoke for the interests of the West, and who later served as a U.S. senator and Secretary of State

Question 5

John Quincy Adams Definition

Answer 5

He was the sixth president of the United States who earlier served as a U.S. diplomat, senator, and Secretary of State. He is the son of John Adams, the second president.

Question 6

Majority Definition

Answer 6

more than half

Question 7

Spoils System Definition

Answer 7

using political power to grant other positions to friends and supporters

Question 8

Suffrage Definition

Answer 8

the right to vote

Question 9

Whig Party Definition

Answer 9

a U.S. political party active between 1832–1858 that backed government support for the economy

Question 10

How did poorer Americans expect to be treated by the rich? Why did this surprise European visitors?

Answer 10

Most Americans did not feel that the rich deserved special respect. Wealthy European visitors to the United States were surprised that American servants expected to be treated as equals. Others were amazed that butlers and maids refused to be summoned with bells, as in Europe.

Question 11

Why was Alexis de Tocqueville sent to America? What did he observe? What was his book called?

Answer 11

A visitor from France, Alexis de Tocqueville became especially well known for his observations on American democracy. He arrived in the United States in 1831. The French government had sent him to study the American prison system. For several months, Tocqueville toured much of the United States. However, he observed much more than prisons. He observed a society that was becoming more and more democratic. After his return to France, Tocqueville recorded his experiences and observations in a book titled Democracy in America. In it, he admired the American democratic spirit and the American goals of equality and freedom. He found that the results of the social “revolution taking place” in America, while “still far from coming to an end,” were “already incomparably greater than anything which has taken place in the world before.”

Question 12

What is the Age of Jackson?

Answer 12

During the early 1800s, a growing spirit of democracy changed the political system and affected American ideas about social classes. The main cause stemmed from the influence of Andrew Jackson. He was an American politician during this time who supported expanding democratic rights. From the time of his first campaign for president in 1824 until his death in 1845, he dominated American politics. Jackson’s policies had a significant effect on issues such as voting rights and the ways in which government functions. This period is often known as the Age of Jackson.

Question 13

In the 1820s, how did more Americans gain suffrage, or the right to vote?

Answer 13

During the 1820s, or the early years of the Age of Jackson, more Americans gained suffrage, or the right to vote. Others, however, were denied full participation in the growing democracy. The United States was growing rapidly. New states were joining the Union, and there were many citizens eager to participate in elections. Some of the first states to give voting privileges to white males who did not own property were in the West. In these states, any white man over age 21 could vote. Reformers in the East worked to expand suffrage in that region. By the 1830s, most eastern states had dropped the requirement that voters had to own land. In this way, many craft workers and shopkeepers won the right to vote. Throughout the country, growing numbers of Americans exercised their newly acquired right to vote. Before 1828, the turnout of eligible voters was never more than 27 percent. That low percentage rose to nearly 58 percent in the election of 1828. By 1840, voter turnout was nearly 80 percent.

Question 14

Which groups did not have the right to vote in America?

Answer 14

Despite the nation’s growing democratic spirit, a great many Americans did not have the right to vote. They included women, Native Americans, and the vast majority of African Americans. Slaves had no political rights at all. Meanwhile, the few states that still required white men to own property to vote failed to remove that barrier during Jackson’s presidency.

Question 15

How did the suffrage of black men get taken away?

Answer 15

Although most white men had won suffrage, free African Americans had lost it. In the early years of the nation, most northern states and a few southern states allowed free African American men to vote. By the 1820s, however, many of these states had taken away that right. By 1830, only a few New England states permitted free African American men to vote on equal terms with white men. In New York, African American men had to own property in order to vote while white men did not. No state allowed enslaved African Americans to vote.

Question 16

Who were the four candidates in the election of 1824? Which section of the United States supported each?

Answer 16

There were four candidates for president in 1824. All four were members of the old Republican Party. However, each had support in different parts of the country. John Quincy Adams was strong in New England. Henry Clay and Andrew Jackson had support in the West. William H. Crawford was favored in the South, but became too ill to campaign.

Question 17

What was John Quincy Adams’s background, going into the election of 1824?

Answer 17

John Quincy Adams of Massachusetts was the son of Abigail and John Adams, the second president. A graduate of Harvard University, the younger Adams had served as Secretary of State and helped end the War of 1812. People admired Adams for his intelligence and high morals. Adams, however, was uncomfortable campaigning among the common people. In fact, to most people he seemed hard and cold.

Question 18

What was Henry Clay’s background, going into the election of 1812? What was his popularity compared to the other candidate in the west?

Answer 18

A Kentuckian, Henry Clay was a shrewd politician who became Speaker of the House of Representatives. In Congress, Clay was a skillful negotiator who had worked out several important compromises. Despite his abilities, Clay was less popular than the other candidate from the West, Andrew Jackson.

Question 19

What was William H. Crawford’s background, going into the election of 1824? Where was most of his support concentrated?

Answer 19

William H. Crawford had served as Treasury Secretary, War Secretary, Ambassador to France after the War of 1812, and as a senator from Georgia. Crawford’s support was concentrated in the Southeast.

Question 20

What was Andrew Jackson’s background going into the election of 1824?

Answer 20

To many Americans, especially on the western frontier, Andrew Jackson was a hero. A general during the War of 1812, he had defeated the British and a group of Creek Indians who were allied with the British. He had gone on to defeat the Seminoles and the Spanish in Florida, gaining that territory for the United States. He was known as the “Hero of New Orleans” for his victory in the War of 1812. He also earned the nickname “Old Hickory” after a soldier said he was “tough as hickory.” Jackson’s fame as a general helped him launch a political career. Although he was a landowner and a slave owner, many saw him as a man of the people. Jackson had been born in a log cabin, and his parents had been poor farmers. He was admired by small farmers and others who felt left out of the growing economy in the United States. The expansion of the vote to white men without property helped account for Jackson’s political popularity.

Question 21

What was the corrupt bargain in the Election of 1824?

Answer 21

No clear winner emerged from the election of 1824. Jackson won the popular vote, but no candidate won a majority, or more than half, of the electoral votes. As a result, under the provisions of the Constitution, the House of Representatives had to choose the president from among the top three candidates. Because he had finished fourth, Clay was out of the running. As Speaker of the House, though, he played an important role in influencing the results and reaching a compromise to settle the conflict. Clay urged members of the House to vote for Adams. Clay’s support was enough for Adams to win the vote in the House. After he became president, Adams named Clay his Secretary of State. In the past, Secretaries of State had gone on to become president. Jackson and his backers were furious. They accused Adams and Clay of making a “corrupt bargain” and stealing the election from Jackson. In fact, the election was decided based on provisions of the Constitution. Still, the anger of Jackson and his supporters seriously hampered President Adams’s efforts to unify the nation.

Question 22

What did John Quincy Adams do in hope to bring the nation back together, after the hated election results? How did people view his plan?

Answer 22

Adams knew that the outcome of the election had angered many Americans. To “bring the whole people together,” he pushed for a program of economic growth through internal improvements. His plan backfired, however, and opposition to him grew.

Question 23

What internal improvements and programs did John Quincy Adam’s propose? How did the majority of Americans view them? How did Congress view them?

Answer 23

Like Alexander Hamilton and Henry Clay, Adams thought that the federal government should promote economic growth. He called for the government to pay for new roads and canals. These internal improvements would help farmers to transport goods to market. Adams also favored projects to promote the arts and the sciences. He suggested building a national university and an observatory from which astronomers could study the stars. Most Americans objected to spending money on such programs. They feared that the federal government would become too powerful. Congress approved money for a national road and some canals but turned down most of Adams’s other programs.

Question 24

How did the conflict between Andrew Jackson and John Quincy Adams influence political parties?

Answer 24

During the 1820s, nearly all politicians were members of Jefferson’s Democratic-Republican Party. In the 1830s, however, new political parties took shape. These parties grew out of the conflict between John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson.

Question 25

What party were John Quincy Adams’s followers in? When did they move to the Whig party? What was the Whig Party? Who established it? What did they believe?

Answer 25

Democratic-Republicans who supported Adams and his programs for national growth called themselves National Republicans. In 1834, many of them joined a new party, organized by Henry Clay and known as the Whig Party.
Whigs had very specific points of view. Whigs wanted the federal government to promote business by paying for roads and canals. Whigs believed that the federal government should oversee banks. They believed that a stable banking system would encourage business. Whigs also wanted higher tariffs. The Whigs had their strongest support the Northeast, with some support in cities and towns in the South and West. People from these places backed the Whigs because these places relied on manufacturing and commerce, and Whig policies aimed to help those parts of the economy. Tariffs are taxes or fees placed on imported goods. By making imports more expensive, they help domestic producers. However, they may prompt foreign governments to impose tariffs in response. So tariffs can threaten exporters. Those who supported the Whigs included eastern factory owners and other businessmen, some southern planters, and many former Federalists. Whigs were often divided into factions, and not all of the party’s members always followed the party’s direction.

Question 26

What group was established by Andrew Jackson and consisted of his followers? What did they believe? How did this group compare to the Whig Party?

Answer 26

Jackson and other Democratic-Republicans who supported him began to call themselves the Democratic Party. Today’s Democratic Party traces its roots to Andrew Jackson’s time. Like the Whig Party, Democrats also had a point of view. They called for more political power for ordinary white men and opposed privileges for the wealthy or educated. Democrats were opposed to tariffs and a federal government role in the economy.
Democrats opposed high tariffs, because farmers counted on being able to sell their goods overseas and did not want to risk retaliatory tariffs. They also did not want to pay more for imported goods. Democrats supported westward expansion to open up more land for frontier settlers. Democrats were usually more tightly organized than Whigs. Members usually followed the direction set by party leaders. Democrats had strong support in the South and West, especially among small farmers and workers. These groups also supported Democrats in some parts of the Northeast. Small farmers and workers supported the Democrats because Democrats spoke up for small farmers, workers, and Westerners against bankers and Northeastern businessmen.

Question 27

What was the election of 1824 focused on? How did the election of 1824 play out?

Answer 27

In 1828, Adams faced an uphill battle for reelection. This time, Andrew Jackson was Adams’s only opponent. The campaign was a bitter contest. The focus was not on issues, but on the candidates’ personalities. Jackson supporters renewed charges that Adams had made a “corrupt bargain” after the 1824 election. They also attacked Adams as an aristocrat, or member of the upper class. Adams supporters replied with similar attacks. They called Jackson a dangerous “military chieftain.” If Jackson became President, they warned, he could become a dictator like Napoleon Bonaparte of France. Jackson won the election easily. His supporters cheered the outcome as a victory for the common people. By common people, they meant white people who worked for a living, including farmers and city workers. For the first time, the politics of the common people were important.

Question 28

How did Jackson’s past relate to those of the common people? What happened to his parents? How tough was he? What were some of his war experiences?

Answer 28

Like many who admired him, Jackson was born in a log cabin on the frontier. His parents had left Ireland to settle in the Carolinas. Both died before Jackson was 15. Jackson had to grow up quickly. Although he was lean, he was a strong fighter. A friend who wrestled with him recalled, “I could throw him three times out of four, but he would never stay throwed.” Always determined, Jackson showed his toughness at 13 when he joined the Patriots during the American Revolution. He was captured by the British while carrying messages for the Patriots. When a British officer ordered the young prisoner to clean his boots, Jackson refused. The officer took a sword and slashed the boy’s hand and face. After the Revolution, Jackson studied law in North Carolina. He later moved to Tennessee and set up a successful law practice. Over time he became very wealthy by buying and selling land in Georgia and Alabama. While still in his twenties, he was elected to Congress. He served for just a few years before becoming a judge and a major general in the Tennessee militia. Jackson won national fame for his achievements during the War of 1812. He led American forces to a major victory over the British at the Battle of New Orleans. He was also known for his leadership during the Creek War. A group of Creeks, angered in part by white settlers moving onto their land, began to attack settlers. These Creeks massacred at least 250 people, including soldiers and their families, at Fort Mims, in present-day Alabama. Commanding an army sent to stop the attacks, Jackson’s victory at Horseshoe Bend forced the Creeks to give up vast amounts of land in what are now Georgia and Alabama.

Question 29

How was Jackson viewed by his supporters and his enemies? What personalities were expressed through the two encounters?

Answer 29

Andrew Jackson was a complex person. He had led a violent and adventurous life. He was quick to lose his temper, and he dealt with his enemies harshly. When he became president, his opponents sarcastically called him “King Andrew.” Jackson intended to be a strong president by expanding the powers of the presidency. At the same time, Jackson’s supporters admired his ability to inspire and lead others. They considered him a man of his word and a champion of the common people.

Question 30

What were the conflicting views of the massive crowd at Jackson’s inauguration?

Answer 30

As Jackson traveled to Washington to be inaugurated, large crowds cheered him along the way. For the first time, thousands of ordinary people flooded the capital to watch the President take the oath of office. After Jackson was sworn in, the crowd followed the new president to a reception at the White House. One onlooker described the scene with amazement:

Country men, farmers, gentlemen, mounted and dismounted, boys, women and children, black and white. Carriages, wagons, and carts all pursuing [Jackson] to the President’s house.

—Margaret Bayard Smith, The First Forty Years of Washington Society

The crowds were so huge, the observer continued, that the President was “almost suffocated and torn to pieces by the people in their eagerness to shake hands.” Jackson’s critics said the scene showed that “King Mob” was ruling the nation. Amos Kendall, a loyal Jackson supporter, viewed the inauguration celebration in a more positive way: “It was a proud day for the people. General Jackson is their own President.”

Question 31

What marked the rise of Jacksonian Democracy?

Answer 31

Andrew Jackson was elected in 1828 largely because white men without property could now vote. He drew much of his support from these people. In return, he promised to help less wealthy white men, and especially small farmers on the western frontier. The spread of political power to more people was part of what became known as Jacksonian democracy.

Question 32

What was the impact of Jacksonian Democracy?

Answer 32

Jackson was the first westerner to occupy the White House. His election marked a shift of political power to the West. He was seen as a daring individualist. His image helped shape an American consciousness focused on individual freedom and daring. Another effect of Jacksonian democracy was the growth in political parties and in citizen participation in the political process. It was one thing to make it legal for nearly all white men to vote. It was another thing to convince them to vote. Jackson’s Democratic Party introduced political campaigns that appealed to common people and their concerns. These campaigns motivated white men to cast their vote for the Democrats.

Question 33

What was the controversy over the spoils system?

Answer 33

One of the biggest effects of Jacksonian politics was the development of the spoils system. After taking office, Jackson fired many government employees. He replaced those employees with his supporters. Most other presidents had done the same, but Jackson did it on a much larger scale. Critics accused Jackson of rewarding his supporters instead of choosing The Age of Jackson and Westward Expansion qualified men. Jackson replied that giving government jobs to ordinary men would prevent a small group of wealthy men from controlling the government. He felt that most Americans could fill government jobs. “The duties of all public officers are … so plain and simple that men of intelligence may readily qualify themselves for their performance,” he said. A Jackson supporter explained the system another way. “To the victor belong the spoils,” he declared. Spoils are loot. The practice of giving supporters government jobs became known as the spoils system.