Unit 4: Topic 8 - Jackson and Federal Power Flashcards
What was the divide within the Democratic-Republican Party?
With the fall of the Federalist Party, the Democratic-Republicans were the only major political party left in America. Within that party, the two rival factions were the National Republicans and Democrats. These later evolved into the Whigs led by Henry Clay and the Democrats led by Andrew Jackson.
Who were the Democrats?
The Democratic Party was led by Andrew Jackson, drawing from the ideals of Thomas Jefferson. They supported limited power in the federal government, free trade, and local rule. They were against corporate monopolies, high tariffs, and the national bank.
Who were the Whigs?
The Whig Party was led by Henry Clay, drawing from the ideals of Alexander Hamilton. They valued an involved central government, a national bank, protective tariffs, and federally funded internal improvements. They opposed the westward expansion of slavery, the executive tyranny of “King Andrew” Jackson, and immigrants; their party advocated for prohibition laws aimed at catholic immigrants and anti-immigrant nativist movements.
What was the Tariff of 1828?
The Tariff of 1828, also called the Tariff of Abominations, was a tax on foreign goods. It aimed to protect northern manufacturing from the competition with foreign imports in order to promote domestic production.
However, this was viewed as creating significant economic problems for the South, leading to major regional disputes.
Who was John C. Calhoun?
John C. Calhoun was vice president during Andrew Jackson’s presidency and was from South Carolina. He strongly disapproved of the Tariff of 1828 and referred to it as the Tariff of Abominations because of the severe economic impact it had on the South. He also felt like it was a federal overreach of power, so he opposed it by developing the Theory of Nullification.
What was the Theory of Nullification?
John C. Calhoun developed the Theory of Nullification in response to the Tariff of Abominations. It declared that if a state judged a federal law to be unconstitutional, it could veto it and thus nullify that act because it was unjust. However, this increased tensions and led to the Nullification Crisis (1832-1833).
What was the Force Bill of 1833?
During the Nullification Crisis (1832-1833), President Andrew Jackson passed the Force Bill of 1833, which gave him authority to respond to South Carolina with military action. In response to this, John C. Calhoun backed off and agreed to the Compromise Tariff, which lowered the tax burden on the South.
What were the issues with the Second Bank of the United States?
The Second Bank of the United States, established in 1816, stabilized the economy during the 1820s. However, in the 1830s, many state banks started to close down because they couldn’t make payments to the national bank, leaving citizens with worthless money.
President Andrew Jackson made the popular move to veto the national bank when Henry Clay tried to renew the charter in 1832, believing that the bank helped the rich and hurt the poor.
What was the divide on Federal Power over Internal Improvements?
Since Henry Clay’s American system authorized roads and canals to be built by federal authority, it caused a clear divide between the Democratic Party and Whig Party. The Democrats thought this was a federal overreach of power, and the expenditures were unconstitutional, while the Whigs thought it was necessary to keep the nation connected.
How did Andrew Jackson increase his executive power?
One way President Andrew Jackson increased his executive power was by appointing government employees loyal to him and his political party, even if they weren’t qualified to fulfill their roles. This method, called the Spoils System, vastly increased his political influence.
Another way President Andrew Jackson grew his power as president was by having Pet Banks. To dismantle the Bank of the United States, he issued an executive order to the Secretary of the Treasury to take all the federal funds and deposit them into 23 state banks loyal to his administration. Land speculation increased as a result of this, but inflation rose, and the dollar lost value.
What was the panic of 1837?
Following rapid economic expansion from 1834 to 1836, the risky lending practices by banks and Andrew Jackson’s effort to encourage the sale of western lands caused inflation. This resulted in bank failures, elevated grain prices, and unemployment, creating the Panic of 1837.
What was the Indian Removal Act of 1830?
President Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act in 1830, authorizing the president to grant unsettled lands west of the Mississippi in exchange for Indian lands within existing state borders. This resulted in the forced relocation of Native Americans to make westward expansion easier for Americans.
This later developed into the Trail of Tears (1831-1850), when thousands of Native Americans died in a forced migration to their new territory in Oklahoma. Although this freed more than 25 million acres of fertile land, the event dramatically changed the lives of Native Americans and continued the American pattern of forced removal and westward expansion.
What was Worcester V. Georgia?
In Worcester v. Georgia (1832), the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the states did not have the right to impose regulations on Native Americans and declared that the Cherokee Nation is a self-governing nation whose independence and right to its land had been guaranteed in treaties with the United States Government.
However, President Andrew Jackson didn’t enforce this, and Native Americans continued to be forced to migrate.
What was the Treaty of New Echota?
The Treaty of New Echota (1835) was signed when a small group of Cherokee people met with the U.S. without tribal sanctions to exchange their land east for reservation territory west of the Mississippi River. This continued the forcible removal of the Cherokee and other Native Americans and became what we now call the Trail of Tears.
