Jacksonian America, the Rise of Mass Politics & Manifest Destiny

1. Jacksonian America, the Rise of Mass Politics & Manifest Destiny Chap 13 & 17

2. AP PARTS

3. George Caleb Bingham • “The County Election” 1845 • Whig party supporter

4. I. Democracy in America A. B/w 1824-1840, voter participation in presidential elections increased from 27 to 80% • Citizenship replaced property owning as source of political authority • During this period restrictions on voting due to lack of property owning & taxpaying disappeared for white men • Western states had adopted universal manhood suffrage at their inception • People began choosing electors, instead of state legislatures • Franchise still did not exist for women, Indians & blacks B. Politics were transformed but wealth distribution changed little

5. II. 19th Century Politics A.Two-party system necessary to democracy’s success B. Patronage & loyalty were foundation of the party • Jackson saw most men as capable of gov’t bureaucratic work, so political loyalty should be rewarded by the party in power (replaced 20% of officials while in office) • Jackson wanted political conventions to nominate presidential candidates instead of congressional caucus C. Two new parties emerge: Democrats (Jackson’s followers) Whigs (opposition to Jackson) • Democrats –wanted equality of opportunity & rights to all (white, male) citizens

6. D. Alexis de Tocqueville in America • Democracy in America • Examined politics + daily lives of Americans • Spread suffrage ideas into Europe + sponsored European Revolutions of 1848 • Further shaped the notion of an “American” identity

7. III. The Revival of Opposition • Election of 1824 (Clay, J.Q.Adams, Jackson, Crawford) • 4 candidates, but no electoral vote majority House of Reps chooses J. Quincy-Adams (Nationalist-Republican) • Jackson called the election and the bargain w/Clay to become Sec. of State “the corrupt bargain” • Tariff of 1824 • Restrict competing British imports • Ultimately raised the prices on raw materials –Southerners called it the “tariff of abominations” • Election of 1828 • Democrats (Jackson) appeal to a wide base • South, West + Mid-Atlantic =rise of sectionalism*

8. Indian Removal • Indian Removal Act (1830) • Began the 8 year progression of native tribes from Georgia & Florida to lands west of the Mississippi • Conflict b/w the states, Congress & the Supreme Court • Worcester v. Georgia, 1832 • J. Marshall sides with Indians saying that the states cannot make laws regulating interactions b/w citizens and Indians, only the federal gov’t • US gov’t spent $500,000 relocating Indians • High mortality rate for natives • Outside brokers in charge of removal put profit ahead of safety • Trail of Tears -1838 removal of 17,000+ Cherokee from Georgia

9. Nullification Crisis • John C. Calhoun of SC led the nullies vs. ‘submission men’ • Tariff of 1832 –SC legislature nullified the Tariff • Compromise of 1833 to reduce tariffs • Force Bill passed by Congress said that army can be used to collect tariff –never had to be used

10. Bank War • Jackson thought the bank harmful to the nation • Clay/Webster pushed renewal of charter to create an anti-Jackson issue for the election of 1832 • Wanted veto to alienate Easterners • Acceptance would alienate the west • 1833 Jackson removed federal deposits placing them in state ‘pet’ banks • Congress established a Specie Circular which meant that federal land could only be purchased by the public with gold or silver • Put the brakes on land speculation in the south & west

11. Texas • Abandoned by US in 1819 for FL (Adams-Onis Treaty) • Mexico declared independence in 1821 • Contracted with Stephen Austin in 1823 to bring US settlers • Must be Catholic • Must become ‘mexicanized’ • By 1835, nearly 30,000 settlers • In 1830, Mexico outlawed slavery & slave trade –Texans refused to comply • By 1836, full scale rebellion • Santa Anna leads Mexico to victory at The Alamo • Sam Houston’sTexans capture Santa Anna & his army at San Jacinto • Rio Grande River becomes ‘border’ b/w Texas & Mexico • Houston becomes 1st president of the Lone Star Republic Never really enforced

12. Election of 1836 • Martin van Buren ‘the little magician’ was Jackson self-appointed successor • Inherited conflicts with GB over Canada • Inherited Panic of 1837 • Global panic began in GB with failure of two major banks • caused by speculation in land, canals, roads & even slaves • Destruction of national bank, pet banks collapsed • Whigs in Congress led by Clay, Calhoun and Webster look to thwart MvB • MvB wouldn’t raised tariffs or extend credit

13. Presidents after Andrew Jackson All one term!

14. Election of 1840 • ‘Tippecanoe & Tyler, too’ (Whigs) -William Henry Harrison & John Tyler • Issue-less election • Propagandized “log cabins & hard cider vs. mansions & champagne” (Van Buren) • Triumph of popular democracy • Competitive Two-party system that was cross-sectional & represented multi-class support • Harrison dies after 4 weeks in office; Tyler considered ‘a democrat in whig clothing’

15. Tyler presidency –foreign policy • Disputes with GB • Canada as a British territory offered freedom to escaped slaves • Oregon boundary 54’ 40 or 49’ parallel? • Eventually 49’ parallel will become boundary Oregon Treaty of 1846 • Maine boundary with Canada –settled by Webster-Ashburton Treaty • Congress wouldn’t annex Texas, so GB made overtures to Texas to help defend & get a free-trade, abolitionist foothold in the South • Congress relents in 1845 –Texas becomes 28th state

16. Manifest Destiny • Idea that God manifestly destined the American people to spread their democratic spirit across the continent • ‘Empire & liberty” • Exemplified through policies of President James K. Polk (1845-49) • Desired California, Texas & Oregon

17. War w/Mexico • President Polk tried to buy California in 1846 for $25 mil. • Offer refused by Mexico • Gen Zachary Taylor put on Rio Grande border leading to bloodshed; Polk asked Congress to declare war • Anti-war Congressman Abraham Lincoln called for a to know where in the US blood had been drawn -‘spot resolution’ • Congress declared war in 1846 • US army fought all the way to Mexico City, John C. Fremont captured California • Settled by the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo 1848 • $15 mil for all of the Mexican Cession • Wilmot Proviso passes House, but not Senate –no slavery in Mexican Cession

18. Mexican Cession of 1848