[The Rise of Mass Politics]
- 1829: Andrew Jackson inaugurated
· gov. was once restricted to a relatively small elite group (wealthy) -> now became open to virtually all the nation’s white male citizens
- “Era of the Common Man”
(The Expanding Electorate)
· until 1820s: only small # of ppl were allowed to vote
o to qualify for voting: 1) white; 2) male; 3) property-owners; 4) tax-payers (or both for 3 and 4)
· Ohio and northwest territory states: state constitution granted every white men to vote -> fear to lose their power, older states began granting every white men suffrage
· Rhode Island (Dorr Rebellion): Thomas L. Dorr formed “People’s Party” -> drafted a new constitution and approved -> Dorrites set up a new gov. with Dorr as the governor -> older gov. vs. new gov. -> older gov. arrested Dorrites
· No women vote, slave vote, secret ballot (but spoken vote) <- ppl are easily bribed
· 1800: all presidential electors chosen by legislature (except six); -> 1828: electors were chosen by popular vote (except SC)
· 1824: fewer than 27% of white male voted -> 1828: 58% -> 1840: 80%
(The Legitimization of Party)
· at 1820s and 1830s, ppl began to accept institutionalized political parties -> first at state level
o esp. in NY
§ after the War of 1812, Martin Van Buren led a dissident political faction (Bucktails) -> challenged the aristocratic governor, DeWitt Clinton; institutionalized political parties
§ argued party needs a permanent opponent for competition; party would check and balance each other (machine)
· by the late 1820s, ideas for party spread national wide
· in 1830s, two-party system began to operate -> Whigs (conservative - J. Q. Adams followers, anti-federalists, anti-Jacksonians, former federalists) v. Democrats (liberal - Jackson followers)
(President of the Common Man)
· Andrew Jackson: theory upon democracy (gov. should offer equal protection and equal benefits to all of its white male citizen and favor no one region or class over another) -> launching attack on Eastern aristocracy, expanding opportunities to the rising classes of West & South
· patronage “Spoils System” – Jackson removed 1/5 of existing fed. officeholders, replaced them with his own supporters
· transformed the process of elections for presidential candidates -> 1832: Jacksonians held a national convention to re-nominate him
· belief: power in the party comes from the people not from elite political institutions (as the congressional caucus).
[“Our Federal Union”]
- advocated for preservation of the Union
- promoted an econ. program to reduce the power of gov.
- controversial constitutional theory: nullification
(Calhoun and Nullification)
· Calhoun (VP); supported the tariff of 1816 -> 1820s: began to believe that the tariffs were the cause for the stagnation; *actually, exhaustion of SC farmland was the real reason -> some Carolinans thought to break away from the Union (secession)
· Calhoun developed the theory of nullification (from Madison and Jefferson; 10th amendment to the constitution)
o since States made the Fed. gov., if a state had concluded that Congress had passed an unconstitutional law, then it can hold a special convention and nullify the act
o Nullification Doctrine (used to nullify the tariff of 1828) widely won supports
§ -> virtually didn’t do anything because Martin Van Buren (Calhoun’s strong rival)
(The Rise of Van Buren)
· Van Buren – former NY governor, Jackson’s secretary of state in 1829
o made himself both member of official cabinet and president’s unofficial clique of political allies (Kitchen Cabinet) -> his influence grew due to a quarrel over etiquette which made a gap between Jackson and Calhoun
· Peggy O’Neale: daughter of a Washington tavern keeper <- Jackson and his friend John H. Eaton had lived -> after O’Neale’s husband died in 1828, O’Neale married Eaton -> Mrs. Calhoun and others refused to accept her -> Jackson demanded Calhoun to accept her -> under the pressure of his own wife, Calhoun refused -> Van Buren befriended with Eatons and acquainted with Jackson -> Van Buren named as the next successor
(The Webster-Hayne Debate)
· Jan 1830: a senator from Connecticut suggested that all land sales and surveys should be temporarily discontinued.
· Robert Y. Hayne (SC): slowing down West = East retaining its political and economical power <- Daniel Webster (Massachusetts) attacked Hayne (+ Calhoun) for attacking on the moral of Union
o Webster challenged Hayne to debate on the issue of states’ rights v. national power
o Hayne – defense of nullification
o Webster: “Second Reply to Hayne”: Liberty and Union, now and for ever, one and inseparable!
· at annual Democratic Party banquet, Jackson: “Our Federal Union – It must be preserved.” / Calhoun: “Next to Liberty”
(The Nullification Crisis)
· 1832: SC responded furiously to “tariff of abominations” (1828)
· legislature called for a state convention – nullified the tariffs of 1828 and 1832, forbid the collection of duties within state
· SC elected Hayne = governor, Calhoun = senator
· Jackson: nullification = treason
o strengthened the fed. forts in SC
o ordered a warship to Charlestown
· early 1833: Jackson proposed a force bill authorizing the president to use the military when acts of Congress are disobeyed
· none supported SC -> Clay proposed a compromise: lower the tariff gradually that by 1842 it would be the same as 1816 (passed 1833, same day as force bill)
· SC: repealed nullification of the tariffs -> lesson learned: don’t challenge fed. gov. all by yourself
[The Removal of the Indians]
Andrew Jackson: wanted to move all Indians west (since Florida expedition, he grow hostility with Indians)
(White Attitudes toward the Tribes)
· 18th century: noble savages
· 19th century: savages
o Indians must be removed from the east of Mississippi to: 1) put an end to the violence; 2) to take lands from Indians
· Illinois – alliance of Sauk (or Sac) and Fox Indians under Black Hawk fought white settlers in 1831-1832 -> “Black Hawk War”
o white had no mercy to even surrendering Indians
(The “Five Civilized Tribes”)
· 1830s problem: South Indian tribes
· western Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida
o “Five Civilized Tribes” (Cherokee, Creek, Seminole, Chickasaw, Choctaw)
o gov. and southern states used force to remove these tribes <- some resisted
· Cherokee Nation v. Georgia & Worcester v. Georgia – “state has no authority to negotiate with tribal representatives”
o <- Jackson repudiated the decisions
· 1835: fed. gov. force-made a treaty with Cherokees
o ceded lands to Goergia <-> $5 mil. and a reservation west of the Mississippi
o Jackson sent 7000 troops (General Winfield Scott) and moved the Indians
(Trails of Tears)
· 1,000 Cherokees fled to NC -> gov. granted them a small reservation
· 1838 winter ~ : most other Indians: forced to move to “Indian Territory” (Oklahoma)
· 1830 – 1838: all “Five Civilized Tribes” moved to Indian territory
· Seminoles: agreed to move to Indian Territory within three years -> 1835: under the leadership of Osceola defended their lands <- 1842: U.S. finally gave up
(The Meaning of Removal)
· by the end of 1830s: most Indian societies east of the Mississippi had be removed to the West
o ceded over 100 mil. acre <-> $68 mil. + 32 mil. acre of lands
· in theory, Indians and Whites could keep intimate mutualism -> but in reality, no such case (often brutal and exploitative)
· after mid-19th century: white Americans didn’t see Indians as accountable partners
[Jackson and the Bank War]
- 1830: Jackson vetoed Congress providing subsidy to Maysville Road in Kentucky <- argued the Bill is unconstitutional because:
· 1) not benefitting all nation; not qualified for “interstate commerce”
· 2) extravagant expenditure
(Biddle’s Institution)
· Bank of U.S. held monopoly on federal deposits
o provided credit to growing enterprises
o issued bank note (used as currency)
o managing over state banks
· Nicholas Biddle (ran the Bank since 1823)
· Opposition of Bank:
o soft-money: (state bankers) Bank limited state banks from issuing notes freely / believed in rapid economic growth & speculation (stock investments etc.)
o hard-money: state/federal notes = not safe; only coins are safe / “public virtue” -> speculation is not trust-worthy
· Biddle began granting banking favors to prominent men
o Daniel Webster <- named as Bank’s legal counsel and director of the Boston Church
o Henry Clay
· advisors persuaded Biddle to apply for recharter bill in 1832 (Bank expires at 1836) -> Jackson vetoed <- Congress failed to override the veto
o caused issues during the election -> Clay ran for President as “National Republican” but failed
· Jackson reelected (55%) with running mate Van Buren
(The “Monster” Destroyed)
· Jackson removed government’s deposits from it <- named Roger B. Taney (his good buddy) as Secretary of the Treasury
· Taney took government’s deposits out of the Bank of the United States and put in state banks
o <- in response: Biddle called in loans & raised interest rates (w/out gov. deposits, Bank’s resources were stretched too thin) -> resulted in short recession
· 1833-1834: supporters of NBank sent petitions to Washington for rechartering -> Jackson blamed Biddle for recession; refused for rechartering -> banker carried the credit too far; gave in to Jackson <- Jackson’s political victory
· 1836: Bank died
o left only fragmented unstable banking system
(The Taney Court)
· 1835: John Marshall died <- replaced with Roger B. Taney
o did not bring upheavals but modified Marshall’s nationalism
· Charles River Bridge v. Warren Bridge of 1837: two Massachusetts companies disputing over the right to build a bridge across the Charles River betw. Boston and Cambridge; first one (with charter) – build for profit; second one (applied to legislature) – build for people’s benefit
o according to the previous “Dartmouth College case” – first one has rights
· <- Taney chose second one to: promote the general happiness
o revealed Jacksonian idea: “democracy = expansion of economic opportunity; no monopolies”
[The Emergence of the Second Party System]
- opposing sides denounced Jackson’s overuse of power -> nicknamed him as “King Andrew I”
o called themselves “Whigs” (to limit the power of the king)
· “Second Party System”
(The Two Parties)
Democratic Party
Whigs Party
Limited fed. gov. power / state rights and it should take care of itself
Leading fed. gov. power and its supports to individual states
Agrarian society;
celebrated “honest workers,” “simple farmers,” and “forthright businessmen”
Industrialized society
Supported territorial expansion
Opposed territorial expansion
Supports from “smaller merchants” and “workingmen” of the Northeast, Some Southern “small planters” distrusting
industrial growth
Supports from “merchants” and “manufacturers” from of the Northeast, “wealthy planters” of the South and “rising commercial class” of the West
Opposed monopoly, privilege and aristocracy –
“locofocos” (workingmen, small businessmen, professionals in Northeast) radically opposed to monopoly and privilege
Opposed Freemason Society <- declared it as “antidemocratic”;
formed “Anti-Mason Party”
Supports from Irish and German Catholics
Supports from Evangelical protestants (constant development and improvements)
Toward immigrants: accepting
Toward immigrants: must adopt “American Ways”
Leader: Jackson
Leader: no single leader; around “Great Triumvirate” – Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, John C. Calhoun
- both were interested in winning the election than stay pure in their philosophy
- made adjustments in regions to regions to win supports
· “Anti-Masionry” -> “Anti-Mason Party” (1820s) against Society of Freemasons (supposedly antidemocratic)
o 1826: William Morgan (a former Mason) mysteriously disappeared
o <- Whigs attacked Jackson and Van Buren; implied that the Democrats were connected with the antidemocratic conspiracy
· American System (Henry Clay): internal improvements and economic development
· Great Triumvirate:
o Clay – “devious political operator” and “identification with the West” / ran for president for three times but never won
o Webster – passionate orator in defense of the Constitution and the Union / supported NB and protective tariffs, reliance with rich men for financial supports / fond of brandy
o Calhoun – never considered himself as a “Whig” / nullification crisis <- made him look disqualified / supported NB (like Clay and Webster) / animosity toward Jackson
· Democrats: Van Buren v.s. Whig Party: several candidates for several regions
o Van Buren elected with majority votes
[Politics After Jackson]
- Jackson retired in 1837
- Van Buren suffered from economic difficulties
(The Panic of 1837)
· Van Buren elected in 1836
o nation at its economic boom: canal and railroad construction, rising price, plentiful credit, land business
· Between 1835 – 1837: gov. sold 40 million acres of public land, ¾ to speculators
o caused great government budget surplus <- only time in American history without federal debts
· 1836: “Distribution Act” – required the federal government to pay its surplus funds to the states each year in four quarterly installments as interest-free, unsecured loans
o no one expected the loans to be paid
o States used the money quickly in road construction -> economic boom
o fed. gov. took money out from the state bank to give the money to the states -> state bank recalled in loans to refill its deposits
· 1836 “Specie Circular Act” : fear of questionable state bank notes value, Jackson passed it; gov. would only receive gold/silver or currency backed by them
o -> caused “Panic of 1837” in Van Buren’s presidency (lasted 5 yr)
o land prices failed, unemployment rate grew, state gov. failed to pay interests on the bonds, etc
§ caused political unpopularity of Democrats
(The Van Buren Program)
· Solutions of Van Buren
o some steps: borrowing money to pay gov. debts, accept only specie for payment of taxes <- made depression worse
o some steps failed in the Congress: “preemption” bill – allowing settlers to buy gov. land nearby before it was opened to public sale, which would lower the land price further
o succeeded in establishing a 10-hr workday; failed in legislative achievements
· “Independent Treasury” / “Subtreasury” : gov. funds would be placed in an independent treasury in Washington and subtreasury of state banks
o failed in the House in 1837
o 1840: passed
(The Long Cabin Campaign)
· 1840: Whigs settled candidate William Henry Harrison (soldier and popular national figure) v.s. Democrats nominated Van Buren
· “Penny Press” – carried news of the candidates to the larger audience
o NY: The Sun (began in 1833)
· spirit of party competition
o Democrats & Whigs: presented them as “party of the common ppl”
o Whigs: portrayed William Harrison (wealthy planter) as “log cabin & hard cider”
(The Frustration of the Whigs)
· Harrison died within one month -> VP John Tyler of Virginia succeeded him
· John Tyler – though no longer Democrat, showed Democrat beliefs through his policy making
o abolished Van Buren’s independent-treasury system and raising of tariff rates
o didn’t support Clay’s attempt to recharter NB
o vetoed several internal improvement bills sponsored by Whigs (Henry Clay)
· John Tyler dismissed out from Whigs Party
o every cabinet member except Secretary of State Webster; Democrats took the places
o Webster left <- Tyler appointed Calhoun (who rejoined Democratic Party)
· Democrats changing: growing aristocratic ideas, expand slavery
(Whig Diplomacy)
· 1837: anti-British factions in Canada’s unsuccessful rebellions against gov.
o rebels chartered Caroline to move supplies from NY <- British burned it and killed an American in the process
o American indignation
o Tension at border between Canada and Maine (in dispute since 1783 treaty)
· “Aroostook War” – Americans vs. Canadians (lumber jacks) moved into Aroostoock River region and the violence began
· 1841: Creole sailed from Virginia for New Orleans -> slaves rebelled and took it to Bahamas -> British declared the slaves free (English government didn’t disagree) -> Southern farmers enraged
· Webster-Ashburton Treaty of 1842 – pro-American Ashburton nego. with U.S. for Main boundary and other matters -> U.S. gained slightly more than ½ of the disputed area, revised northern boundary as far west as the Rocky Mountains
o Anglo-American relationships greatly improved
· Whigs lost to Democrat (James K. Polk -> for Westward Expansion)
- 1829: Andrew Jackson inaugurated
· gov. was once restricted to a relatively small elite group (wealthy) -> now became open to virtually all the nation’s white male citizens
- “Era of the Common Man”
(The Expanding Electorate)
· until 1820s: only small # of ppl were allowed to vote
o to qualify for voting: 1) white; 2) male; 3) property-owners; 4) tax-payers (or both for 3 and 4)
· Ohio and northwest territory states: state constitution granted every white men to vote -> fear to lose their power, older states began granting every white men suffrage
· Rhode Island (Dorr Rebellion): Thomas L. Dorr formed “People’s Party” -> drafted a new constitution and approved -> Dorrites set up a new gov. with Dorr as the governor -> older gov. vs. new gov. -> older gov. arrested Dorrites
· No women vote, slave vote, secret ballot (but spoken vote) <- ppl are easily bribed
· 1800: all presidential electors chosen by legislature (except six); -> 1828: electors were chosen by popular vote (except SC)
· 1824: fewer than 27% of white male voted -> 1828: 58% -> 1840: 80%
(The Legitimization of Party)
· at 1820s and 1830s, ppl began to accept institutionalized political parties -> first at state level
o esp. in NY
§ after the War of 1812, Martin Van Buren led a dissident political faction (Bucktails) -> challenged the aristocratic governor, DeWitt Clinton; institutionalized political parties
§ argued party needs a permanent opponent for competition; party would check and balance each other (machine)
· by the late 1820s, ideas for party spread national wide
· in 1830s, two-party system began to operate -> Whigs (conservative - J. Q. Adams followers, anti-federalists, anti-Jacksonians, former federalists) v. Democrats (liberal - Jackson followers)
(President of the Common Man)
· Andrew Jackson: theory upon democracy (gov. should offer equal protection and equal benefits to all of its white male citizen and favor no one region or class over another) -> launching attack on Eastern aristocracy, expanding opportunities to the rising classes of West & South
· patronage “Spoils System” – Jackson removed 1/5 of existing fed. officeholders, replaced them with his own supporters
· transformed the process of elections for presidential candidates -> 1832: Jacksonians held a national convention to re-nominate him
· belief: power in the party comes from the people not from elite political institutions (as the congressional caucus).
[“Our Federal Union”]
- advocated for preservation of the Union
- promoted an econ. program to reduce the power of gov.
- controversial constitutional theory: nullification
(Calhoun and Nullification)
· Calhoun (VP); supported the tariff of 1816 -> 1820s: began to believe that the tariffs were the cause for the stagnation; *actually, exhaustion of SC farmland was the real reason -> some Carolinans thought to break away from the Union (secession)
· Calhoun developed the theory of nullification (from Madison and Jefferson; 10th amendment to the constitution)
o since States made the Fed. gov., if a state had concluded that Congress had passed an unconstitutional law, then it can hold a special convention and nullify the act
o Nullification Doctrine (used to nullify the tariff of 1828) widely won supports
§ -> virtually didn’t do anything because Martin Van Buren (Calhoun’s strong rival)
(The Rise of Van Buren)
· Van Buren – former NY governor, Jackson’s secretary of state in 1829
o made himself both member of official cabinet and president’s unofficial clique of political allies (Kitchen Cabinet) -> his influence grew due to a quarrel over etiquette which made a gap between Jackson and Calhoun
· Peggy O’Neale: daughter of a Washington tavern keeper <- Jackson and his friend John H. Eaton had lived -> after O’Neale’s husband died in 1828, O’Neale married Eaton -> Mrs. Calhoun and others refused to accept her -> Jackson demanded Calhoun to accept her -> under the pressure of his own wife, Calhoun refused -> Van Buren befriended with Eatons and acquainted with Jackson -> Van Buren named as the next successor
(The Webster-Hayne Debate)
· Jan 1830: a senator from Connecticut suggested that all land sales and surveys should be temporarily discontinued.
· Robert Y. Hayne (SC): slowing down West = East retaining its political and economical power <- Daniel Webster (Massachusetts) attacked Hayne (+ Calhoun) for attacking on the moral of Union
o Webster challenged Hayne to debate on the issue of states’ rights v. national power
o Hayne – defense of nullification
o Webster: “Second Reply to Hayne”: Liberty and Union, now and for ever, one and inseparable!
· at annual Democratic Party banquet, Jackson: “Our Federal Union – It must be preserved.” / Calhoun: “Next to Liberty”
(The Nullification Crisis)
· 1832: SC responded furiously to “tariff of abominations” (1828)
· legislature called for a state convention – nullified the tariffs of 1828 and 1832, forbid the collection of duties within state
· SC elected Hayne = governor, Calhoun = senator
· Jackson: nullification = treason
o strengthened the fed. forts in SC
o ordered a warship to Charlestown
· early 1833: Jackson proposed a force bill authorizing the president to use the military when acts of Congress are disobeyed
· none supported SC -> Clay proposed a compromise: lower the tariff gradually that by 1842 it would be the same as 1816 (passed 1833, same day as force bill)
· SC: repealed nullification of the tariffs -> lesson learned: don’t challenge fed. gov. all by yourself
[The Removal of the Indians]
Andrew Jackson: wanted to move all Indians west (since Florida expedition, he grow hostility with Indians)
(White Attitudes toward the Tribes)
· 18th century: noble savages
· 19th century: savages
o Indians must be removed from the east of Mississippi to: 1) put an end to the violence; 2) to take lands from Indians
· Illinois – alliance of Sauk (or Sac) and Fox Indians under Black Hawk fought white settlers in 1831-1832 -> “Black Hawk War”
o white had no mercy to even surrendering Indians
(The “Five Civilized Tribes”)
· 1830s problem: South Indian tribes
· western Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida
o “Five Civilized Tribes” (Cherokee, Creek, Seminole, Chickasaw, Choctaw)
o gov. and southern states used force to remove these tribes <- some resisted
· Cherokee Nation v. Georgia & Worcester v. Georgia – “state has no authority to negotiate with tribal representatives”
o <- Jackson repudiated the decisions
· 1835: fed. gov. force-made a treaty with Cherokees
o ceded lands to Goergia <-> $5 mil. and a reservation west of the Mississippi
o Jackson sent 7000 troops (General Winfield Scott) and moved the Indians
(Trails of Tears)
· 1,000 Cherokees fled to NC -> gov. granted them a small reservation
· 1838 winter ~ : most other Indians: forced to move to “Indian Territory” (Oklahoma)
· 1830 – 1838: all “Five Civilized Tribes” moved to Indian territory
· Seminoles: agreed to move to Indian Territory within three years -> 1835: under the leadership of Osceola defended their lands <- 1842: U.S. finally gave up
(The Meaning of Removal)
· by the end of 1830s: most Indian societies east of the Mississippi had be removed to the West
o ceded over 100 mil. acre <-> $68 mil. + 32 mil. acre of lands
· in theory, Indians and Whites could keep intimate mutualism -> but in reality, no such case (often brutal and exploitative)
· after mid-19th century: white Americans didn’t see Indians as accountable partners
[Jackson and the Bank War]
- 1830: Jackson vetoed Congress providing subsidy to Maysville Road in Kentucky <- argued the Bill is unconstitutional because:
· 1) not benefitting all nation; not qualified for “interstate commerce”
· 2) extravagant expenditure
(Biddle’s Institution)
· Bank of U.S. held monopoly on federal deposits
o provided credit to growing enterprises
o issued bank note (used as currency)
o managing over state banks
· Nicholas Biddle (ran the Bank since 1823)
· Opposition of Bank:
o soft-money: (state bankers) Bank limited state banks from issuing notes freely / believed in rapid economic growth & speculation (stock investments etc.)
o hard-money: state/federal notes = not safe; only coins are safe / “public virtue” -> speculation is not trust-worthy
· Biddle began granting banking favors to prominent men
o Daniel Webster <- named as Bank’s legal counsel and director of the Boston Church
o Henry Clay
· advisors persuaded Biddle to apply for recharter bill in 1832 (Bank expires at 1836) -> Jackson vetoed <- Congress failed to override the veto
o caused issues during the election -> Clay ran for President as “National Republican” but failed
· Jackson reelected (55%) with running mate Van Buren
(The “Monster” Destroyed)
· Jackson removed government’s deposits from it <- named Roger B. Taney (his good buddy) as Secretary of the Treasury
· Taney took government’s deposits out of the Bank of the United States and put in state banks
o <- in response: Biddle called in loans & raised interest rates (w/out gov. deposits, Bank’s resources were stretched too thin) -> resulted in short recession
· 1833-1834: supporters of NBank sent petitions to Washington for rechartering -> Jackson blamed Biddle for recession; refused for rechartering -> banker carried the credit too far; gave in to Jackson <- Jackson’s political victory
· 1836: Bank died
o left only fragmented unstable banking system
(The Taney Court)
· 1835: John Marshall died <- replaced with Roger B. Taney
o did not bring upheavals but modified Marshall’s nationalism
· Charles River Bridge v. Warren Bridge of 1837: two Massachusetts companies disputing over the right to build a bridge across the Charles River betw. Boston and Cambridge; first one (with charter) – build for profit; second one (applied to legislature) – build for people’s benefit
o according to the previous “Dartmouth College case” – first one has rights
· <- Taney chose second one to: promote the general happiness
o revealed Jacksonian idea: “democracy = expansion of economic opportunity; no monopolies”
[The Emergence of the Second Party System]
- opposing sides denounced Jackson’s overuse of power -> nicknamed him as “King Andrew I”
o called themselves “Whigs” (to limit the power of the king)
· “Second Party System”
(The Two Parties)
Democratic Party
Whigs Party
Limited fed. gov. power / state rights and it should take care of itself
Leading fed. gov. power and its supports to individual states
Agrarian society;
celebrated “honest workers,” “simple farmers,” and “forthright businessmen”
Industrialized society
Supported territorial expansion
Opposed territorial expansion
Supports from “smaller merchants” and “workingmen” of the Northeast, Some Southern “small planters” distrusting
industrial growth
Supports from “merchants” and “manufacturers” from of the Northeast, “wealthy planters” of the South and “rising commercial class” of the West
Opposed monopoly, privilege and aristocracy –
“locofocos” (workingmen, small businessmen, professionals in Northeast) radically opposed to monopoly and privilege
Opposed Freemason Society <- declared it as “antidemocratic”;
formed “Anti-Mason Party”
Supports from Irish and German Catholics
Supports from Evangelical protestants (constant development and improvements)
Toward immigrants: accepting
Toward immigrants: must adopt “American Ways”
Leader: Jackson
Leader: no single leader; around “Great Triumvirate” – Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, John C. Calhoun
- both were interested in winning the election than stay pure in their philosophy
- made adjustments in regions to regions to win supports
· “Anti-Masionry” -> “Anti-Mason Party” (1820s) against Society of Freemasons (supposedly antidemocratic)
o 1826: William Morgan (a former Mason) mysteriously disappeared
o <- Whigs attacked Jackson and Van Buren; implied that the Democrats were connected with the antidemocratic conspiracy
· American System (Henry Clay): internal improvements and economic development
· Great Triumvirate:
o Clay – “devious political operator” and “identification with the West” / ran for president for three times but never won
o Webster – passionate orator in defense of the Constitution and the Union / supported NB and protective tariffs, reliance with rich men for financial supports / fond of brandy
o Calhoun – never considered himself as a “Whig” / nullification crisis <- made him look disqualified / supported NB (like Clay and Webster) / animosity toward Jackson
· Democrats: Van Buren v.s. Whig Party: several candidates for several regions
o Van Buren elected with majority votes
[Politics After Jackson]
- Jackson retired in 1837
- Van Buren suffered from economic difficulties
(The Panic of 1837)
· Van Buren elected in 1836
o nation at its economic boom: canal and railroad construction, rising price, plentiful credit, land business
· Between 1835 – 1837: gov. sold 40 million acres of public land, ¾ to speculators
o caused great government budget surplus <- only time in American history without federal debts
· 1836: “Distribution Act” – required the federal government to pay its surplus funds to the states each year in four quarterly installments as interest-free, unsecured loans
o no one expected the loans to be paid
o States used the money quickly in road construction -> economic boom
o fed. gov. took money out from the state bank to give the money to the states -> state bank recalled in loans to refill its deposits
· 1836 “Specie Circular Act” : fear of questionable state bank notes value, Jackson passed it; gov. would only receive gold/silver or currency backed by them
o -> caused “Panic of 1837” in Van Buren’s presidency (lasted 5 yr)
o land prices failed, unemployment rate grew, state gov. failed to pay interests on the bonds, etc
§ caused political unpopularity of Democrats
(The Van Buren Program)
· Solutions of Van Buren
o some steps: borrowing money to pay gov. debts, accept only specie for payment of taxes <- made depression worse
o some steps failed in the Congress: “preemption” bill – allowing settlers to buy gov. land nearby before it was opened to public sale, which would lower the land price further
o succeeded in establishing a 10-hr workday; failed in legislative achievements
· “Independent Treasury” / “Subtreasury” : gov. funds would be placed in an independent treasury in Washington and subtreasury of state banks
o failed in the House in 1837
o 1840: passed
(The Long Cabin Campaign)
· 1840: Whigs settled candidate William Henry Harrison (soldier and popular national figure) v.s. Democrats nominated Van Buren
· “Penny Press” – carried news of the candidates to the larger audience
o NY: The Sun (began in 1833)
· spirit of party competition
o Democrats & Whigs: presented them as “party of the common ppl”
o Whigs: portrayed William Harrison (wealthy planter) as “log cabin & hard cider”
(The Frustration of the Whigs)
· Harrison died within one month -> VP John Tyler of Virginia succeeded him
· John Tyler – though no longer Democrat, showed Democrat beliefs through his policy making
o abolished Van Buren’s independent-treasury system and raising of tariff rates
o didn’t support Clay’s attempt to recharter NB
o vetoed several internal improvement bills sponsored by Whigs (Henry Clay)
· John Tyler dismissed out from Whigs Party
o every cabinet member except Secretary of State Webster; Democrats took the places
o Webster left <- Tyler appointed Calhoun (who rejoined Democratic Party)
· Democrats changing: growing aristocratic ideas, expand slavery
(Whig Diplomacy)
· 1837: anti-British factions in Canada’s unsuccessful rebellions against gov.
o rebels chartered Caroline to move supplies from NY <- British burned it and killed an American in the process
o American indignation
o Tension at border between Canada and Maine (in dispute since 1783 treaty)
· “Aroostook War” – Americans vs. Canadians (lumber jacks) moved into Aroostoock River region and the violence began
· 1841: Creole sailed from Virginia for New Orleans -> slaves rebelled and took it to Bahamas -> British declared the slaves free (English government didn’t disagree) -> Southern farmers enraged
· Webster-Ashburton Treaty of 1842 – pro-American Ashburton nego. with U.S. for Main boundary and other matters -> U.S. gained slightly more than ½ of the disputed area, revised northern boundary as far west as the Rocky Mountains
o Anglo-American relationships greatly improved
· Whigs lost to Democrat (James K. Polk -> for Westward Expansion)
