Monroe and Jackson’s Presidencies

1. Monroe and Jackson’s Presidencies Ch 8 sections 4 and 5

2. Monroe’s Era of Good Feelings • 1817-1825 • People optimistic about the future • One national political party: the Jeffersonian Republicans • Still some economic and political issues • Economic booms and busts • Sectional disputes concerning slavery

3. What did the government do? • Adopted new, nationalist policies (home and abroad) • 1816 Protective Tariff: make American goods cheaper to help business • Key decisions by the federal government’s role in the nation’s government

4. Chief Justice John Marshall’s Key Decisions • Dartmouth College v. Woodward: (1819) state can’t interfere with private contracts • Protect businesses from regulation and helped stabilize the economy • McCulloch v. Maryland: (1819) implied power of the federal government • Federal government more powerful • Gibbons v. Ogden: (1824) fed government regulates interstate commerce • Increased steamboat competition • Helped to open the American west to settlement

5. All of these decisions helped build up nationalism in the United States • James Monroe and Sec. of State John Quincy Adams set up some foreign policy to encourage nationalism and strength in the federal government • Main goal: ease tensions with Great Britain

6. Nationalism Abroad • 1817: US and England signed Rush-Bagot Agreement: agree to decrease # of warships on the Great Lakes • 1818: England and US draw northern border of the US at 49° North latitude from present-day Minnesota to the Rocky Mtns • Monroe Doctrine created because Monroe was worried about European nations colonizing the western hemisphere

7. Monroe Doctrine • US neutrality (will not get involved in the internal affairs of European nations or take sides) • US will recognize existing colonies in the western hemisphere and not interfere with them • US will not allow any more colonization in the western hemisphere • If any European nation should attempt to take control of any nation in the western hemisphere, the US would take it as hostile action toward them

8. The US didn’t have the armed forces necessary to back up the warnings of the Monroe Doctrine • Still a bold declaration of policy considering our capital was just burned down less than a decade before

9. Election of 1824 • First time no candidate was a leader from the Revolution • Marked the end of the Era of Good Feelings • Economic problems, the spread of slavery, and other issues led to conflict among Jeffersonian Republicans • Several Republicans decided to run • John Quincy Adams, Henry Clay, John C. Calhoun, Andrew Jackson

10. John Quincy Adams • Secretary of State • Lots of experience in politics and foreign affairs • Negotiated treaty with Britain to extend US northern border • Helped in acquiring Florida • Helped devise Monroe Doctrine

11. Henry Clay • Speaker of the House • Energetic and charming • The American System • Combination of government-backed economic development and protective tariffs aimed at encouraging business growth

12. John C. Calhoun • Secretary of War • From South Carolina • Eventually withdrew from the crowded race • Instead ran for Vice President because he had a better chance of winning that

13. Andrew Jackson • General from War of 1812 • Battle of New Orleans • War hero • “Old Hickory” • Relied on his popularity to attract votes

14. The “Corrupt Bargain” • Jackson won most votes in electoral college but not the majority • House of Representatives voted to decide the election • Clay used his influence to swing enough votes to Adams to give him the victory • Adams made Clay his Secretary of State just days later • Many of Jackson’s followers didn’t like this

15. John Q. Adams as President • Wanted to strengthen nation’s economy (funding and protective tariff) • American System • Pushed for legislation authorizing federal building of canals, roads, bridges, lighthouses, universities, and other public improvements • Supported protective tariffs

16. Jackson’s supporters • Those in Congress blocked Adams’s plans every chance they got • Jackson prepared for next election

17. Election of 1828 • Supporters of Adams and Clay called themselves the Adams Party or National Republicans (later Whig Party) • Believed they were true to Jeffersonian spirit of improvement • Supporters of Jackson called themselves Jacksonians or Democratic Republicans, we call them Jacksonian Democrats • Believed they were true to Jefferson’s ideal of limited government

18. 2 Political Parties in US Again • 1828 also notable because about 3 times as many men voted than in 1824 • Many states removed property qualifications to vote • Many new voters supported the man of the people: Andrew Jackson • Jackson won by a landslide

20. Andrew Jackson • Man of the people • From west of the Appalachians so he was made out to understand the “average” person’s life • Inauguration day: mob of well wishers celebrated by taking over the White House • Signaled the start of a new era in American democracy and the growing power of the American west (Jacksonian Democracy)

21. Jacksonian Democracy • Most support came from first-time voters • No property requirements so the less wealthy had a say in government now • Spoils System/Patronage: giving government jobs to friends and supporters • Official policy of Jackson’s administration • His opponents were infuriated by this, they’re the ones who called it the Spoils System

22. Jackson’s Defense of the Spoils System • Said any intelligent person could be a competent government official • “rotation in office” would prevent a small group of wealthy, well-concerned people from controlling the government • Supported his image as the common man

23. Limited Government • Jackson supported limited government • Attacked politicians he considered corrupt and laws that he thought would limit people’s liberties • Used his veto power to restrict federal activity as much as possible • Rejected more acts of Congress than the 6 previous presidents combined • Increased power of the presidency also

24. Tariff Crisis • Tariff of 1828: heavy tax on imports designed to boost American manufacturing • Started before Jackson became president • South Carolina decided to nullify (reject) the tariff on the basis of states’ rights argument (tariff was hurting south economically) • States’ rights: powers the Constitution neither gives to the federal government nor denies to the states • State sovereignty: because the states created the federal gov, they have the right to nullify its acts and secede from the union if they decide to

25. South Carolina’s Nullification • 1832 another tariff was passed and South Carolina declared them null and void • 1833: Force Bill passed by Congress with Jackson’s support • Made it difficult for SC to block federal collection of the tariff • Jackson threatened to send in fed troops to enforce the law • Sen. Henry Clay offered a compromise reducing some import duties, SC canceled its nullification but nullified the Force Bill

26. The Indian Crisis • Most Native Americans had already given up their territory and moved west, but some remained in the Old NW and south • “Five Civilized Tribes” (Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Chicksaw, and Seminole) lived in lands in the Carolinas, GA, FL, AL, MS, and TN • 1830: Congress passed the Indian Removal Act

27. Indian Removal Act • Authorized the President to give Native Americans land in parts of the LA Purchase in exchange for land taken from them in the East • Northern groups generally resettled peacefully • The Five Tribes refused to move so Jackson forcibly removed about 100,000 from the south and moved them into the Indian Territory (OK)

28. Cherokee Resistance • Many Cherokee had adopted white ways • Gold was found on Cherokee land in GA and the government seized the land • In 1832 the Cherokees brought their case to the Supreme Court • Worcester v. Georgia: Marshall ruled that GA had no authority over Cherokee territory • GA defied the court with Jackson’s support

29. Trail of Tears • Court had no power to enforce its decisions • 1838 the US Army rounded up more than 15,000 Cherokees and forced them to walk on a 116-day forced march westward about 1,000 miles to the OK Territory • No pause for rest • 1 out of every 4 Cherokee died of cold or disease

30. Indian Uprisings • Black Hawk War: clashes between 1,000 Indians and the government of the Illinois Territory (most killed) • Second Seminole War: nearly 7 years of war • Ended once leader was captured • Few hundred Seminoles remained in FL

31. Bank War • Jackson believed that the Bank of the US was a “monster” institution controlled by a small group of wealthy Easterners • Held it responsible for Panic of 1819 and hard times that followed • Bank of US had charter until 1836 and then Congress would have to issue new charter • Nicholas Biddle: president of the bank charter, decided to recharter in 1832 (early) • Jackson vetoed the bill as a protection of the rights of ordinary citizens

32. Election of 1832 • Jackson re-elected by huge margin • Defeated Clay • 1834 The National Republicans joined several other anti-Jackson groups to form the Whig Party • American Whigs saw themselves as defenders of liberty against a powerful executive (King Andrew I)

33. Jackson’s Successors • 1836: Jackson decided not to run again • Van Buren ran and won (his VP) • Lacked Jackson’s popularity • Before killing the Bank of the US, Jackson had begun putting money in “pet banks” around the country • Result: in 1836, Jackson was forced to declare that the fed gov would accept the Specie Circular

34. Specie Circular • Weakened the “pet banks” and helped cause the Panic of 1837 (Van Buren’s 1st year in office) • Severe depression followed, thousands lost their jobs, urban poverty increased • Second panic of 1839 made depression drag on into 1840 election year

35. Election of 1840 • Whig candidate: William Henry Harrison (military hero) • Hoped to win by avoiding major issues and relying on his popularity • Harrison defeated Van Buren but died just one month after taking office • John Tyler took over

36. John Tyler • Southern Democrat who supported states’ rights • Angered his party by taking a public stand against Jackson • Whigs used him to pull votes away from Van Buren but never expected him to become president • Blocked much of the Whig policies (national bank) • Whigs abandoned him and had a tough 4 years