The Spirit of Reform

1. The Spirit of Reform 1828-1845

2. Section 1: Jacksonian America • A New Era in Politics • Expansion of suffrage as a result of eliminating property qualifications • More urban workers who didn’t own land but paid taxes and wanted representation • How did these changes benefit Jackson’s election? • How does campaigning change overall? • Jackson supported the spoils system • Thinks it’s democratic and involves average citizens in government • Jackson also supported changes in how presidential candidates were chosen • The caucus system was replaced with national nominating conventions

4. The Nullification Crisis • Had been brewing for a while • The state’s economy • Tariffs, especially the “Tariff of Abominations” • Secession? • What about “nullification” • South Carolina Exposition & Protest • Written by John C. Calhoun (VP and from SC) but published anonymously • How do states have the right to nullify federal law?

5. Showdown in the Senate • Robert Hayne • From South Carolina • Defending the idea that states have the right to chart their own course and that states are no more than a voluntary association • “Liberty first and Union afterward” • Daniel Webster • Greatest orator of his day • Defender of the Union • “Liberty and union, now and forever, one and inseparable!”

6. What’s the President’s Opinion? • “Our federal Union—it must be preserved.” • Had been a war of words in the Senate until 1832, when Congress passed another tariff law that actually cut tariffs considerably, but SC wasn’t satisfied. • The SC state legislature votes to elect a special state convention that voted to adopt an ordinance of nullification to declare the tariffs of 1828 and 1832 unconstitutional.

7. Jackson is outraged… • Views South Carolina’s actions as acts of treason • Sends a warship to Charleston as a show of force • Congress gives the president authority to use the military to enforce federal law known as the Force Bill • Congress passed a bill led by Henry Clay that was designed to lower tariffs gradually until 1842. • SC votes to repeal its nullification • Both sides claim victory • Temporary resolution of the issue.

8. Policies Towards Native Americans • What is assimilation?

9. Jackson’s Native American policies • Whites want to displace or assimilate Native Americans • Jackson: only solution is to move Native Americans off their land • thinks assimilation cannot work • too many troops needed to keep whites out of native lands • Extermination too costly (war)

11. The Cherokee fight back… • Worcester v. Georgia —state cannot rule Cherokee or invade their land • Chief Justice Marshall sides with Cherokee, but Jackson says “Marshall has made his opinion, now let him enforce it.” • What does that mean? • Federal agents sign treaty with minority group and relocation begins

12. The Trail of Tears • By 1838, 20,000 Cherokee remain; President Martin Van Buren orders removal • Cherokee sent west on Trail of Tears; 800-mile trip made on foot • 2,000 die in camps waiting for migration, 2,000 more die on the journey. • Few Americans denounce the harsh treatment • Trail of Tears—the tragic, forced westward migration • of the Cherokee in 1838–1839.

14. Jackson goes after the BUS • Jackson vetoes bill to recharter Second Bank of the United States • Presents bank as a benefit only for the wealthy • Truth: BUS (Bank of the U.S.) keeps state banks in check preventing inflation and promoting stability • Without BUS, easier for settlers to get money

15. “The bank is trying to kill me, but I will kill it!”

16. Jackson & the bank continued • Jackson felt his re-election in 1832 was a mandate from the people to end the BUS • He removed the government’s deposits from the Bank and put them in Pet banks • banks loyal to Democratic Party • BUS president Nicholas Biddle unsuccessfully tries to save bank • People unhappy with Jackson form Whig Party and back Henry Clay

17. A New Party Emerges The Whigs formed to support Henry Clay and to oppose Jackson. Whigs wanted a larger role for the federal government and encouraging commercial development They ran three different candidates, which helped Van Buren win. He had also served in Jackson’s cabinet, so he was well known and liked.

18. Panic of 1837 • Van Buren (Democrat) takes office to face his first big challenge: how to deal with an economic crisis. • Unemployment soars • Many farmers face foreclosure • This economic disaster gives the Whig party ammunition to run a candidate against Van Buren when he is up for re-election in 1840. • General William Henry Harrison & John Tyler win the election “Tippecanoe & Tyler too!”

19. Tyler becomes president… President Harrison gets pneumonia after giving his inaugural address and dies 32 days later. This makes VP John Tyler now the President of the United States The Whigs aren’t pleased to discover that Pres. Tyler doesn’t really share a lot of Whig views. Sides with the Democrats over the Third Bank and a higher tariff. In foreign relations, Tyler is in office for the Webster-Ashburton Treaty to settle the Maine/Canadaian border in 1842.

20. Section 2: A Changing Culture • What were the big social issues of the time period? • What’s the time period again? • Can society be changed through reform efforts? • Who should be in charge of the reforms? The government or private groups? • Immigration & nativism • Religious revivalism • Second Great Awakening • Utopian communities • A literary renaissance

21. Immigration • Large influx of Irish and German Immigrants • 1845- Potato Famine • American Party (Know-Nothings) • Nativism- anger against foreigners and their culture, ie. Irish Catholics

23. “Looking Backward” by J. Keppler

24. Second Great Awakening • Occurred in response to growth of scientific knowledge • Protestant denominations saw lots of growth during this period: Methodists, Baptists and Presbyterians • Focus on emotion • Camp meetings/revivals • Rejects the Calvinist idea of predestination • Grace through faith • Who are the key people and groups? • Charles Grandison Finney- • prominent leader who helped found modern revivalism • Modeled his methods after salespeople

25. New Religious groups • Joseph Smith & the Book of Mormon • Published in 1830. • Migrated to Illinois and then Utah territory after the death of Joseph Smith. • Brigham Young then became the leader of the church. • Unitarians & Universalists break away from the Congregational tradition • Unitarians—God is a unity, not a trinity and reject the divinity of Jesus • Universalists contend that God will save everyone. Believe in the universal salvation of souls.

26. America’s literary renaissance • Ideas from Romanticism and transcendentalism begin to influence American philosophers and authors • Romanticism: emphasizes feeling and emotion over reason • Inner spirituality v. external rules • Individual v. society • Nature vs. manmade • Transcendentalism: overcome human limits, embrace the beauty of the universe

27. Key authors • American literature begins to emerge • No longer copying the European style, but writing about specifically American subjects • James Fenimore Cooper & Last of the Mohicans • Herman Melville, Moby Dick • Edgar Allan Poe • Walt Whitman • Henry David Thoreau • Women authors begin to get recognition • Emily Dickinson • Margaret Fuller

28. Continued • Rise of the penny press • More Americans had access to newspapers and magazines such as Harper’s Weekly and Atlantic Monthly • More Americans were learning to read • Cost of newspapers and magazines came down • Were more widely read

29. Utopian communities • What’s a utopia? • Think about the social changes of the period. • What would motivate people to want to create their own ideal societies? • Most centered on communal living & no private property • Ex. Brook Farm in Massachusetts • The Shakers • Also a religious group • Had up to 6,000 members

30. Section 3: Reforming Society • Prison Reform- Dorothea Dix • Helped get new prisons and separate institutions for mentally ill • Benevolent Societies- • Promoted by Lyman Beecher • Fix social problems by volunteering rather than with the government • Temperance Movement • American Temperance Union- wanted to limit or stop consumption of alcohol • Education Reform • Horace Mann helped create the modern public education system, including education for teachers • Calvin Wiley carries reform to the South

31. Women’s rights • Two views: “True Womanhood” • Stay at home and take care of the family • Conservative view • “cult of domesticity” • “separate spheres

32. What reform movement does the cartoon promote?

33. Women’s rights continued View #2 Seeking Greater Rights First wave of the feminist movement in America • Seneca Falls Convention- • Considered unofficial beginning for women’s right to vote- women’s suffrage • Lucretia Mott & Elizabeth Cady Stanton wrote the Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions

34. Section 4: The Abolitionist Movement • Movement started by free African Americans and whites • David Walker- • Free black • wrote Appeal to the Colored Citizens of the world • Possibly murdered for his beliefs

35. Mennonites first known group to protest slavery • By 1807 Northern states had passed laws to abolish slavery • In 1808 importing slaves ended

36. How Should We Free the Slaves? Several theories: • Gradual Emancipation • Colonization of Liberia • Abolition • Violence • Gradual Emancipation: Takes steps over time to stop slavery • Called Gradualism • Stop spread of slavery, then slave trade, then slavery altogether • Step by step process ending slavery

37. Colonization of Liberia • American Colonization Society formed • Send free blacks back to Africa • Reasons: • Only way to get fair treatment • Eventually get rid of slavery and slaves • Some Southern Support • Removes free blacks agitating slaves to revolt

38. African-American response to recolonization • Most opposed colonization • America is their home, all they know • Also, nearly impossible to move 1.5 million people to Africa in 1820 • About 12,000 chose to move to Liberia • Monrovia is the capital

39. Abolitionism continued • William Lloyd Garrison- published The Liberator, an antislavery newspaper • He also started the American Anti-Slavery society • Called for Abolition- an immediate end to slavery • Read quote pg 286

40. Abolitionism continued • Frederick Douglass- • Learned to read • Escaped to the North at age 21 • Changed name from Augustus Washington Bailey • Outstanding author and orator • Joined Garrison’s American Anti-Slavery Society • Was against violence, but thought people should speak out and agitate for the cause of freedom

41. Divisions among abolitionists Women’s Participation- • many felt women should not be involved in politics • Sojourner Truth • Traveled throughout the North speaking out against slavery • Sarah and Angelina Grimke also prominent activists Divisions over race- Some free blacks felt white abolitionists saw them as inferior -Martin Delany • One of the first black students to graduate from Harvard Medical school • In favor of colonization • Felt white abolitionists putting black abolitionists second

42. Divisions continued Divisions over Tactics • Some pushed for political action • Formed Liberty party • Garrison felt slavery was Constitutional, so any laws passed will be found unconstitutional

43. Opposition to Abolitionism Opposition in the North • Majority saw abolition as radical • Could hurt trade relations with South • Escaped slaves might take jobs • Freed slaves might move into their communities Violence erupted over slavery • Garrison was attacked and harassed • Elijah P. Lovejoy was shot to death • Edited St. Louis Observer and denounced slavery

44. Opposition continued • 8 months after Garrison’s Liberator published Turner’s Rebellion occurred • Tougher slave codes result • Angered at being criticized by the North • Dangerous for a southerner to speak out against slavery • Gag Rule- From 1836 to 1844, no antislavery petitions could be presented in the House

45. Southern Claims to protect their “Peculiar Institution” • Slavery is a “national benefit” • Slaves had no desire for freedom • Slaves of good slaveholders are his warmest, most devoted friends • Slaves have a better life than Factory workers