President Andrew Jackson
I. Elected in 1828
A. First president from West
B. Envisioned strong presidency
1. Represented will of the people
2. Frequent use of the veto
C. The Spoils System
1. Fired govt. employees & replaced them with friends
2. “Kitchen Cabinet"--unofficial advisors
II. Bank of the United States
A. Opposed by Jackson
1. Undemocratic
a. Benefited the wealthy
b. Run by private bankers--Nicholas Biddle
2. Unconstitutional
B. Vetoed Bank Bill in 1832
C. Bank expired in 1836, Panic of 1837
III. Tariffs
A. “Tariff of Abominations” in 1828
1. Highest tariff ever
2. Hurt the South
B. Calhoun vs. Webster
1. Calhoun
a. Wanted to nullify tariff
b. States have final authority
2. Webster
a. Union most important
b. Nullification would be end of U.S.
C. South Carolina Nullification Act 1832
D. Jackson's response
1. Threatened military action
2. South Carolina backed down
IV. Native Americans
A. Indian Removal Act 1830
1. Forced Native Americans to give up land in South
2. Thousands moved west of Mississippi
B. Trail of Tears
1. 15,000 Cherokee moved in 1838
2. About 4000 died en route
C. Seminole War 1835-1842
1. Forced Seminoles to leave Florida
2. Cost $20 million and 1,500 soldiers
President Andrew Jackson Teacher Notes
I. Elected in 1828(rematch between adams and Jackson, political parties have formed again. Whigs vs democrats) Jackson crushes him.
A. First president from West (all others from Virginia or massachusettes, aristocracy) Jackson had terrible childhood and little education.
B. Envisioned strong presidency
1. Represented will of the people ( because he was voted in he should have more power)
2. Frequent use of the veto (vetos more bills than all other presidents combined)
C. The Spoils System
1. Fired govt. employees & replaced them with friends (fired all of John Q adams employees, not just the cabinet)
2. “Kitchen Cabinet"--unofficial advisors (reward to his friends to loyalty. Problems with this ; people are unqualified. Hard to fire people if you hired them for loyalty. After Jackson realizes that his friends aren’t qualified he looks to other advisors. They meet in the kitchen at the whitehouse. They give a variety of opinions, not just what he wants to hear.
II. Bank of the United States
A. Opposed by Jackson (he thinks it is undemocratic, it benefits the wealthy at the expense of the poor, the us bank controlled the flow is silver and gold, which states based the value of their paper money, also it was run by the rich and they used bank funds to elect officials that they preferred).
1. Undemocratic
a. Benefited the wealthy (stop production of paper money because paper money can be inflated).
b. Run by private bankers--Nicholas Biddle (Jackson hates this guy. Biddle decides to put pressure on Jackson by making it difficult for businesses to get loans, Jackson decides to take the silver and gold out of National bank and distribute them to State banks, this crushes the national bank)
2. Unconstitutional
B. Vetoed Bank Bill in 1832
C. Bank expired in 1836, Panic of 1837 (massive depression, worst in history)
III. Tariffs
A. “Tariff of Abominations” in 1828 (congress keeps putting tarrifs on imported goods. Keeps hurting the south. South call this 1828 tarriff the “abomination of the south.
1. Highest tariff ever
2. Hurt the South
B. Calhoun vs. Webster
1. Calhoun
a. Wanted to nullify tariff
b. States have final authority
2. Webster
a. Union most important (easy to say when your state/region is benefitting)
b. Nullification would be end of U.S.
C. South Carolina Nullification Act 1832
D. Jackson's response (he is sympathetic, but realizes that as president he has to do what is best for the nation, and protect the interests of the people).
1. Threatened military action
2. South Carolina backed down (force bill- government can run the state. South Carolina is going to be the “problem child” – 1st state to secceed)
IV. Native Americans
A. Indian Removal Act 1830 (westward movement is at its peak, thousands moving west, nullified all previous treaties with Natives. Many native tribes felt betrayed. Cherokee sue government and Justice John Marshall sides with the Natives. Jackson says, “Justice Marshall has made his decision, now let him enforce it.” Jackson had hated natives from a young age as he lived on the frontier, he was raised believing that they were the enemy).
1. Forced Native Americans to give up land in South (using the military to do this. Cherokee Sioux attempt to sue, Supreme court confirms it, but Jackson ignores it)
2. Thousands moved west of Mississippi
B. Trail of Tears
1. 15,000 Cherokee moved in 1838
2. About 4000 died en route (many died in concentration camps before march started. Woman lost 3 daughters in one night after a tree struck by lightning fell on them. Soldiers forced the group to continue marching without giving proper rites to the dead).
C. Seminole War 1835-1842 (Jackson has history with Seminole in florida, while spain controlled florida, Jackson went down to confront them hiding runaway slaves)
1. Forced Seminoles to leave Florida
2. Cost $20 million and 1,500 soldiers