Chapter 10

1. Chapter 10 Triumph of White Man’s Democracy

2. Democratic Society • The common man was just as good, just as equal as anyone else • This idea surprised foreign visitors who thought of themselves as the elite in their own countries • Equality appeared to be the governing principle of American society

3. There were no special privileges because of family connections • We had social classes, but the lines were not as rigid as in other societies • There was upward and downward mobility in the U.S.

4. This democratic principle was most obvious in politics • By 1820s most states had removed the last barriers to voting allowing all white adult males to vote • Many more public officials were elected rather than appointed

5. With more men gaining the right to vote, they became more involved with politics • They would vote for someone who cared about their needs • Voters could also select who would serve in the Electoral College and vote in a president • It wasn’t up to state legislatures anymore

6. The Election of 1824 • John Quincy Adams vs. Andrew Jackson • Adams had more experience in many different areas of government than Jackson: • State Congress • National Congress • Minister to Russia • Secretary of State under Monroe

7. Jackson: • Was briefly the governor of the Florida Territory • Was the Hero of New Orleans in the War of 1812 • Portrayed himself as a man of the people

10. Jackson won the popular vote in 1824 • However, he did not have the majority of the electoral votes • As per the Constitution, a contested election is to be settled by the House of Representatives

11. Henry Clay supported Adams • Adams became the next President • Henry Clay then became the next Secretary of State • Jackson supporters called this a “corrupt bargain” • Chart, p. 290

12. The election of 1824 caused the re-emergence of the 2-Party System • Adams then led the National Republicans • Jackson led the Democrats and prepared to beat Adams in the 1828 election

13. Broken Patterns • Adams’ election broke the Virginia Dynasty: Washington, Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe • 4 of the first 5 presidents were from Virginia

14. Another pattern broken was the rise of the Secretary of State to the presidency • Jefferson had been Washington’s • Madison had been Jefferson’s • Monroe had been Madison’s • Adams had been Monroe’s

15. The Masons • Another scandal in the 1820s affected politics • This one concerned the Freemasons • Fraternal order • For middle class values • Association was used to advance careers and power • Had secret rituals

16. 1826 – William Morgan, a disillusioned Mason said he would expose their secret rituals • He disappeared shortly after announcing his plans • It was assumed he had been murdered • His friends wanted an investigation

17. Masons used their political influence to get the investigation stopped • People were outraged and started an Anti-Mason Movement • They wished to destroy the Masons and the aristocrats who were Masons • Anti-Masons became a political party for a time but merged with National Republicans to become the Whig Party

18. Anti-Masons Contributions to Politics • They introduced Party Conventions and the Party Platform • Their conventions had a lot of popular participation • At the end of their convention, they nominated a candidate • This is still how politics works today • The party needs to be responsive to people

19. Election of 1828 • Once again, it was John Quincy Adams vs. Andrew Jackson • Jackson mobilized the voters • After a campaign of mudslinging and not talking about hard issues, Jackson won • Adams lost because he didn’t reach out to new voters -- Chart, p. 292

20. Jackson as President, 1828 - 1836 • Governed for 2 terms • 3 major issues during his presidency: • Removal Bill • Nullification • Destruction of the National Bank

21. Removal Bill • Map, p.294 • U. S. had broken every treaty we had previously signed with Native Americans • The Cherokee were living on their land in Georgia • Georgians discovered minerals on Indian land that they wanted

22. Cherokees vs. Georgia went before the Supreme Court and they ruled in favor of the Cherokee because of a treaty they had with U.S. • Georgia still wanted them gone and appealed to Jackson • Jackson told the Supreme Court that the Justices could enforce their ruling

23. To Jackson, the Cherokee needed to move west of the Mississippi • They were forced to move on what became known as the Trail of Tears • Most Americans approved of this because it opened up new land to them • The Supreme Court was just ignored in the matter

24. Nullification • During the Panic of 1819, there was economic depression • Farmers moved west and bought land on credit • They thought they would do well because there was a growing demand for food, especially in the cities • The demand dropped, farmers couldn’t pay mortgage, and banks foreclosed

25. The economy recovered in the 1820s, but Americans continued to worry about the it • U.S. placed protective tariffs on imported goods but southerners felt these protective tariffs may have helped fledgling industries in the North but did nothing to protect their #1 product, cotton • Tariffs increased in 1816, 1824, and in 1828

26. To southerners, the Tariff of 1828 became known as the Tariff of Abominations • The government continued to help protect industrial goods but again did not help them • Southerners bought imported goods, and the prices kept rising

27. The South Carolina Legislature issued the “South Carolina Exposition & Protest” • It was written anonymously by Andrew Jackson’s own Vice President, John C. Calhoun

29. To protect its states’ rights, South Carolina said it had the right to nullify any federal law it felt was unconstitutional. • Congress could then appeal the law or add an amendment to the Constitution • Then the state could accept the law or secede from the Union

30. If this went through, then Southern States could secede if Congress outlawed slavery • Jackson said this action was treasonous and had Congress pass the Force Bill in March, 1833 • This said U.S. could use troops to put down any insurrection

31. Then Jackson had Congress lower the tariff • South Carolina repealed “Nullification” • Jackson was not happy to learn that his own Vice President was working against him • He dropped him from the ticket in 1832 • Martin Van Buren became V.P. under Jackson and later President in 1836 – p. 300

32. Destruction of National Bank • The National Bank underwrote many economic ventures • In the Panic of 1819, it called in its loans and foreclosed on many ordinary Americans • Citizens hated the Bank and felt it had helped to ruin them

33. They felt the Bank helped the rich and hurt them • Jackson personally distrusted the Bank • Didn’t like its use of paper money • Felt it helped the rich

34. In 1832, Jackson resolved to crush the Bank • He put federal money in state banks • This was an illegal move • The Bank went under in 1839 – never to rise again

35. Election of 1840 • P. 304 • Whigs won with William Henry Harrison • His supporters campaigned and portrayed him as an ordinary guy who drank hard cider and lived in a log cabin • It wasn’t true, but he won over Martin Van Buren who had run into economic hard times during his term as President, 1836 - 1840

38. Changes in Politics • Virginia Dynasty ended • Secretary of State becoming President ended • New 2-Party System • Political Convention with more participation by more white men • New ways to campaign