The Age of Jackson

1. The Age of Jackson

3. About Jackson • Born in South Carolina • Served in the Revolutionary War. (13 years old) • Was slashed in the face and hand for refusing to polish a British officers boots. • Oldest brother died fighting the British • Other brother died while in British captivity. • Became a Lawyer • 1st Representative elected from Tennessee • Senator from Tennessee • Served on the Tennessee Supreme Court • Famed General from War of 1812 • Fought the Indians

4. The Election of 1824 Andrew Jackson Henry Clay “Killing 2500 British Soldiers does not qualify one for the highest office in the land” Clay John C. Calhoun “Tariff of Abomination” Exportation & Protest John Quincy Adams

5. The Election of 1824 • The Story… • 4 Candidates • The Popular vote- Jackson had the most votes • The Electoral vote- Jackson did not have enough to win. • Adams and Clay… Clay decided to support Adams. • The Corrupt Bargain • Adams was made president and in return, named Clay Secretary of State. • When the next election came...

8. The Scandal over Rachel Jackson

10. Jumping ahead a little…

11. Inauguration

12. The Peggy Eaton Affair End Result:

13. Jackson’s Style • -Old Hickory: The Story • Favored “Commanding” not compromising • Pro-Slavery BUT keep it a “non-issue” • Jackson is Anti-Abolitionist – keep them from spreading their ideas • Despised Indians, but adopted an orphaned native boy and raised him as his son. • A partisan Democrat • “Common Man” theme but…? • “to the victor belong the spoils of the enemy”

14. Vetoes! He vetoed 12 bills in 8 years.

15. SPOILS SYSTEM What is it? How did Jackson use it? Eventually fired 983 people.

16. Assassination attempt • First attempt on a president’s life in US History • Richard Lawrence, unemployed English house paint • Attempted to shoot Jackson outside capital building with two pistols • both misfired • Jackson beat him with his cane while he was restrained by Davie Crockett

17. Worcester v. Georgia • The State of Georgia tried to remove the Cherokee from their lands. • They had a treaty with the U.S. government giving them the land. • Their case went to the Supreme Court. • Chief Justice John Marshall ruled for the Cherokee

19. "John Marshall has made his decision; now let him enforce it!" Jackson Said… Jackson felt that states had The right to control what went on within their borders.

20. The Trail of Tears • Five Civilized tribes • Cherokee, Seminole, Creek Chickasaw, Choctaw • 1838 • 800 miles – • Many were robbed, treated harshly • 25% died • When they got there the ground wasn’t as fertile.

22. Section 4: States Rights • 1832- The U.S. had a tariff on British goods to protect American Businesses in the North. • The tariff forced the South to buy more expensive U.S. goods. (Tariff of Abominations) • The Vice President, J.C. Calhoun secretly devised “Nullification Theory”. (Problem?) • Dueling Toasts at a public dinner.

23. “The Union, next to our liberty, most dear.” Our Union, it must be preserved. Calhoun resigns and is made a senator by South Carolina

24. Going back in time… • Jackson invaded Spanish Florida in 1818 • tried and executed two British subjects • Calhoun (Then the Secretary of War) condemned Jackson. • saying that Jackson was not ordered to invade • suggested disciplinary action • Jackson was aware but saved this to use against him later.

25. Nullification • South Carolina tries to nullify the tariff. • This document is written by Calhoun!!! • Henry Clay worked out a Compromise (2 bills) • Congress passes the FORCE Bill of 1833. • Gave the Federal government the authority to use the armed forces against South Carolina. • Tariff of 1833 • The tariff was reduced but it WAS collected. • This issue and the ideas behind it eventually lead to the CIVIL WAR. • South Carolina was ANGRY and symbolically nullified the Force Bill.

26. The Battle over the Bank • The charter of the Bank of the U.S was up for renewal in 1836. • It was brought up in 1832 to use it as an issue against Jackson. • It is a key campaign issue, when Jackson wins in 1832, he sees it as a mandate from the people to destroy the bank. • Jackson moved to destroy the Bank and out maneuvered his opponents.

27. Why he wanted to destroy it!!! • “Such a concentration of power in the hands of a few men irresponsible to the people” • “The Bank Mr. Van Buren, is trying to kill me, but I will kill it.” • He felt it was a privileged institution: • Nicholas Biddle said that the bank had no accountability to the people or the nation. • There was no government oversight of the bank. • Put all of the monied power in the U.S. in one institution. • Gave low interest loans to members of Congress • Profits went to individuals rather than the American people.

30. How he tried to destroy it… • He vetoed the bill to re-charter the Bank. • He removed all federal money and put it in smaller state banks. “PET BANKS”. • It goes out of business by the early 1840’s

31. The Results • This angered Democrats in his own party. • They break away and form the Whig Party. • Led to the Panic of 1837 • Crisis in Currency “Specie Circular” • Up to 1/3 of the pop. out of work. • Martin Van Buren had to deal with the Crisis. • Received much of the blame. • Continued policies that made it worse. • Created an independent treasury.