Chapter 9
The Jacksonian Era
1825-1842
The Debate over States Rights
Andrew Jackson
Became President in 1828. Some called Jackson
the farmer President, and thought he was not
qualified to be the President because he had not
gone to a prestigious school. Others felt a
common man was just what the nation needed.
Strict Constructionists
Believe that the Constitution grants the
central government only specific powers.
All other powers not specifically
mentioned in the Constitution are
reserved for the states.
Kitchen Cabinet
Jackson discovered that many men in
his cabinet were more concerned with
politics than with serving their President.
So he gathered a group of close friends
with whom he discussed his strategy
informally (often in the White House
kitchen).
Concerns Over a Central Bank
The national bank controlled all the
money collected by the federal
government, giving it great influence
over other banks and the nations money
supply.
Jackson insisted that the idea of a
national bank violated the Constitution.
Nicholas Biddle
Director of the National Bank
Bank Charter Bill
In 1832 Andrew Jackson vetoed the
Bank Charter Bill, which would re-charter
the national bank, and he ordered the
secretary of treasury to withdraw all
government money from it.
The Panic of 1837
Biddle hastily called in loans of private
individuals because he knew his bank
could not survive without government
money. This threw the country into an
economic depression.
Specie Circular
A statement requiring that all public
lands be paid for in gold and silver
Caused temporary financial panic, but in
the long run stopped land speculation
with cheap paper money.
During Jacksons two terms
he:
1. Championed sound money backed by
gold
2. Did away with the strong central bank
that controlled the nations money
supply
Protective Tariff
Essentially a tax on Southerners
Benefited manufacturers in the North
Tariff of 1828
Southerners called it the Tariff of
Abominations.
John C. Calhoun
Vice President under Andrew Jackson
Opposed the Tariff of 1828 and wrote a
pamphlet called the South Carolina
Exposition and Protest in response to it.
Nullification Doctrine
The idea that a state can nullify, or
cancel, a federal law
Secession
The act of leaving the Union by a state.
John C. Calhoun argued for states rights
but not secession.
Senator Robert Y. Hayne
Enlisted by John C. Calhoun to debate
the issue of states rights.
Senator Daniel Webster
The greatest orator (speaker) in
Congress
Paved the way for a compromise over
the issue of states rights in the West and
South.
1832
Congress passed a new tariff that
continued to hurt the cotton growers in
the South.
South Carolina threatened to secede
and use military force to defend
themselves against President Jackson.
Vice President Calhoun resigned and
became a senator for South Carolina.
Compromise Tariff of 1833
Lowered duties on foreign goods coming
into the country over a period of 10 years
with the hope that it would eventually be
eliminated.
Force Bill
Gave the President the authority to use
the army and navy to enforce tariff laws,
if necessary
Pages 170-174
Jacksonian Era
The years that Jackson was president
A period in history characterized by a
new spirit of democracy
Men were judged by what they could do
rather than who they were
Caucus
A closed meeting of party leaders who
would select candidates or decide policy.
Nominating Conventions
Party members in each state elected
delegates to attend these conventions,
where they would choose the
Presidential candidates.
Spoils System
The practice of giving public office
positions to faithful supporters
The spoils system opened up the
political process to more people, but it
often put unqualified people in
government positions.
National Road
Constructed to promote improvements in
the developing lands out West.
Ran from Cumberland, Maryland,
westward across several states.
Indian Removal Act
Passed in 1830
Required American Indians living on
lands east of the Mississippi River to
move to lands farther west.
The government provided funds to help
the Indians in their move.
Black Hawk
Led Indian tribes back to their former home near
Rock Island in 1832. This led to the Black Hawks
War.
Black Hawks War
When members of the Sac and Fox tribe
refused to leave Illinois, the governor of
Illinois called out the state militia.
Many Sac and Fox were killed and Black
Hawk was captured.
The remaining Indians were forced to
return to the Western territories.
Cherokee
In the South, the Cherokee resisted the
move forced upon them with the Indian
Removal Act.
They had established farms, a written
language, and even drafted a constitution
in attempt to establish a state in
northwestern Georgia.
Many had even become Christians.
They were removed west with the others
Trail of Tears
The Cherokee journey to Oklahoma
4,000 died
Abolitionists
People who wanted to abolish slavery.
William Lloyd Garrison
A radical abolitionists who published an abolitionist
paper known as The Liberator. He called for
immediate end to slavery.
Frederick Douglass
Published an abolitionist paper called
The North Star.
Nat Turner
A black preacher that stirred up a slave rebellion in
Virginia. About 60 white people, mostly women
and children, were murdered in the Nat Turner
Revolt.
Martin Van Buren
8th President of the United States
Ran against the Whig party
People associated him with hard times and he only served
one term.
Whig Party
A new party made up of former National
Republicans and members of other
political groups.
They opposed Jackson and called him
King Andrew the First because they felt
he had been too strong of a President.
William Henry Harrison
9th President of the United States
1st Whig President
1st President to die in office
John Tyler
10th President of the United States
Pages 175-176
The Caroline Incident
A Canadian militia caught some
Americans smuggling arms and
ammunition across the Niagara River to
aid Canadian rebels. They set fire to the
boat, named Caroline, killing one
American.
Lord Ashburton
English minister to the United States
Was married to an American woman
Was known for his friendliness toward
the United States
Webster-Ashburton Treaty
1842
Settled the United States-Canadian
boundary
Laid the foundation for the establishment
of the longest unfortified and peaceful
boundary in the world between two great
nations