Transcript Jacksonian America Part II

Jacksonian America
Part II
Let Us Continue
Election of
1844
The title of this 1844 political cartoon
is “The Little Magician Invoked."
It depicts Martin Van Buren
summoning spirits to help his
party in the 1844 election.
Martin Van Buren is seated in the
middle, to his left is Andrew
Jackson, James K. Polk, the
Democratic Presidential candidate
from Tennessee, stands in front of
his vice-presidential candidate,
George Mifflin Dallas from
Pennsylvania, urging on Van
Buren and his magic.
Expansion of Democracy
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The number of eligible voters
increased as previous property
qualifications were eliminated.
Prior to the election of 1828, the
majority of the American people
had been satisfied to have
“aristocrats” select their
President.
By 1828, Americans began to see
Americans as equals and were
more eager to participate in the
electoral process.
Expansion of
Democracy
This cartoon is a satire on the obstacles
facing Van Buren's reelection in 1840.
Weighed down by a bundle labeled "Sub
Treasury," Van Buren follows the lead of
Andrew Jackson. His way is blocked by
barrels of "Hard Cider" and log cabins,
symbolizing the popular appeal of Harrison's
candidacy. On the left distance Van Buren's
home at Kinderhook. It also features "OK"
which was coined after Martin Van Buren -"Old Kinderhook."
• Delegates from states
chose candidates for
President at
nominating
conventions.
• Once elected,
President Andrew
Jackson employed the
spoils system
(rewarding supporters
with government
jobs).
No Time for Politics
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Between 1820 and the Civil War, the growth of new industries,
businesses, and professions helped to create in America a new
middle class. (The Middle class consisted of families whose
husbands worked as lawyers, office workers, factory managers,
merchants, teachers, physicians and others.)
A new ideal of womanhood and a new ideology about the home
arose out of the new attitudes about work and family.
Called the "cult of domesticity," it is found in women's
magazines, advice books, religious journals, newspapers,
fiction--everywhere in popular culture.
This new ideal provided a new view of women's duty and role
while cataloging the cardinal virtues of true womanhood for a
new age.
This ideal of womanhood had essentially four parts--four
characteristics any good and proper young woman should
cultivate: piety, purity, domesticity, and submissiveness.
Feminist Movement
“Declaration of Sentiments”
– “All men and women are created equal” Seneca Falls,
New York, 1848
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The Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions was drafted
by Elizabeth Cady Stanton for the women's rights convention
at Seneca Falls, New York in 1848.
–
Based on the American Declaration of Independence, the
Sentiments demanded equality with men before the law, in
education and employment AND the first pronouncement
demanding that women be given the right to vote.
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When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary
for one portion of the family of man to assume among the
people of the earth a position different from that which they
have hitherto occupied, but one to which the laws of nature
and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the
opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the
causes that impel them to such a course.
–
She is insistent, strident, and uncompromising. "The right is
ours," she declares: "have it we must—use it we will."
Religious Democracy, 1839
Second Great Awakening
Social activism spawned abolition groups,
temperance and suffrage societies, and
others committed to prison reform, care
for the handicapped and mentally ill.
A noted proponent of such reforms was the
evangelist Charles G. Finney.
In addition to being an innovative evangelist
whose techniques others would imitate,
he held that the Gospel saved people, but
also it was a means to reform society.
Methodists & Baptists
1830s Lorenzo Dow
Democratizing Religion
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The revival's secular effects
consisted of two main strains:
The virtues and behavior of the
expanding middle class—a
strong work ethic, frugality and
temperance—were endorsed
and legitimized.
Its emphasis on the ability of
individuals to amend their lives
engendered a wide array of
reform movements aimed at
redressing injustice and
alleviating suffering—a
democratizing effect
African American Religion
J.L. Kimmel, 1935
The Politics of Image
-Vote for the party, the
policies, the person, or the
perception?
-“Populist” image
-Emotionalism
-Mass politics/parties
-Communication &
organization
Jackson Presidency, 1828-1836
-Image of anti-elitism, big
government, North East
-Rejected Nat’l Bank &
“American Plan”
-Spoils System
- Pay back supporters
Peggy Eaton Affair
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Daughter of a popular Washington tavern
keeper, Peggy was an attractive, vivacious
young woman who attracted the attention of
some of the most powerful men in America,
including Senator John Eaton, a close friend
of Andrew Jackson.
As a young woman Peggy had married John
Timberlake, a Navy purser who spent
considerable time at sea.
It was said that his untimely death in a
foreign port was a suicide brought about by
Peggy's infidelity, a charge never proven.
Whether true or not, Peggy got married
again, this time to John Eaton, who soon
became a Secretary of War in Andrew
Jackson's cabinet,
Entire Cabinet Resigns
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The wives of the other members of
Jackson's Cabinet did not approve of
Mrs. Eaton's allegedly lurid past.
She was snubbed at White House
receptions, and Washington political
society refused to accept or return
social visits from Mrs. Eaton.
The situation deteriorated to the point
where it became a difficult even for
Jackson's cabinet to conduct its
regular business.
Martin Van Buren, Jackson's
Secretary of State, was a widower
and therefore safe from wifely
criticism of Mrs. Eaton.
Finally, as a way out of the "Eaton
malaria," Van Buren offered to resign
and suggested that the rest of the
cabinet do so also. Jackson gratefully
accepted his offer
More to the Story
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The attack on Mrs. Eaton had been led by Florida Calhoun, wife of Vice President John
C. Calhoun.
Van Buren's appointment as ambassador to England had to be approved by the Senate,
and because of growing opposition to Jackson's policies in the Senate, the vote for
approval turned out to be a tie.
Vice President Calhoun, presiding over the Senate, cast the deciding vote against Van
Buren.
In 1832 Andrew Jackson asked Van Buren to join him on the Democratic Party ticket as
his running mate and candidate for vice president.
Jackson and Van Buren were elected, and Van Buren succeeded President Jackson in
the election of 1836.
Thus the Peggy Eaton affair, the story of a woman scorned, rather than remaining a lowlevel scandal, altered the course of American political history, not the first time nor the
last in which a woman would play that role.
Peggy's colorful life did not end there. Some years later John Eaton died, leaving his
widow a small fortune. At age 61 she married twenty-one year old Antonio Buchignani,
her granddaughter's dancing teacher and deeded all her belongings to him. Less than a
year later he eloped to Italy with her granddaughter, and Peggy was forced to work as a
dressmaker to support herself.
She died in 1879 and is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in a grave next to that of John
Eaton.
Nullification Controversy 1828
The nullification theory of John C. Calhoun,
and President Jackson's reaction to the attempt to put nullification into action.
• 1. Constitution - a compact
among states
• 2. Federal government given
clearly defined powers
• 3. States were judges of
powers of constitution
• 4. States could declare null
and void any laws not stated in
constitution
• 5. Federal Government must
stop performing laws until 3/4
states granted it the nullified
power
The Webster-Hayne
Debate
Sen. Daniel
Webster
[MA]
Sen. Robert
Hayne
[SC]
The Hayne-Webster Debate
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An unplanned series of speeches
in the Senate regarding
protectionist tariffs.
Robert Hayne of South Carolina
interpreted the Constitution as
little more than a treaty between
sovereign states, and Daniel
Webster expressed the concept of
the United States as one nation.
"an inquiry into the expediency of
abolishing the office of surveyor
general of public lands, and for
suspending further surveys until
those already in market shall have
been disposed of.“
State Sovereignty vs. Union
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The coalition that supported
Andrew Jackson for president had
a large faction of advocates of
state sovereignty; i.e. the
interpretation of the Constitution
as a pact between soverign
states; such states having the
sovereign right each to interpret
the Constitution, or even to
withdraw from the Union.
•
This implied, for example, that the
Supreme Court was not the
arbiter of the meaning of the
Constitution.
“The Most Eloquent Speech
Ever Delivered in Congress”
• Actually called for the
temporary suspension of
further land surveying
until land already on the
market was sold (this
would effectively stop the
introduction of new lands
onto the market).
“On the Nature of the Union”
• Webster concluded with an appeal to
“Liberty and Union, now and forever,
one and inseparable,” in what later
historians would deem to be “the
most powerful and effective speech
ever given in an American
legislature.”
• Webster's description of the US
government as "made for the people,
made by the people, and answerable
to the people," was later echoed by
Abraham Lincoln in the Gettysburg
Address
1830 Pre Civil War Messages
Webster:
Liberty and Union, now and
forever, one and inseparable.
Jackson:
Our Federal Union—it must be
preserved.
Calhoun:
The Union, next to our liberty,
most dear.
Antebellum
Pre-Civil War
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"In 1830, there were
6,152 free Negroes in
the District of
Columbia compared
with 6,152 slaves; in
1840, 8,361 compared
with 4,694 slaves; and
in 1860, 11,131
compared with only
3,185.
Thus is 30 years, the
free colored
population was nearly
doubled, while the
slave population was
halved.
Slaves in 1830 by state
NOT Through Wholesale
Manumission
• It would be inaccurate to infer from this that there was any wholesale
manumission or that the District was haven for free Negroes.
• The free Negroes were of several classes: Those whose
antecedents had never been slaves, such as descendents of
indentured servants; those born of free parent, or of free mothers;
those manumitted; those who had bought their own freedom, or
whose kinsmen had bought it for them; and those who were
successful runaways.
• These free Negroes were an ever present 'Bad example' to the
slaves of the District and of the surrounding slave States, and the
more they prospered, the 'worse example' they became.
Black Codes
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Especially stringent regulations affecting free Negroes were added by the
District Common Council to the slave codes.
Every free Negro was required; (1) to give the mayor 'satisfactory evidence of
freedom', plus $50 for himself, and $50 for each member of his family; (2) to
post a bond of $1,000 and to secure five white guarantors of good behavior.
It was necessary to show manumission papers in order to remain free; even so,
gangs bent on kidnapping could and frequently did seize and destroy them.
No Negro, slave or free, could testify against whites.
The jails were crowded with captured free Negroes and suspected runaways;
there were 290 of these in the city jail at one time. Many were sold for prison
fees, ostensibly for a fixed period, but really for life.
Meetings for any other than fraternal and religious purposes were forbidden.
After Nat Turner's insurrection in Virginia in 1831, colored preachers were
banned." (Washington, City and Capital, Federal Writers' Project, Works
Progress Administration,
Urgent story:
– I miss you guys!!
The National
Bank Debate
Nicholas
Biddle
President
Jackson
•Jackson stopped deposits to BUS
•Put money in pet banks
•BUS calls in debts to pay bills
•leads to bank failures
nd
2
Opposition to the
the US
“Soft”
(paper) $
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state bankers felt it
restrained their banks
from issuing bank
notes freely.
supported rapid
economic growth
& speculation.
Bank of
“Hard”
(specie) $

felt that coin was the only
safe currency.

didn’t like any bank that
issued bank notes.

suspicious of expansion &
speculation.
The “Monster” Is Destroyed!
1832  Jackson vetoed
the extension of the
2nd National Bank of
the United States.
3
1836  the charter
expired.
3
1841  the bank went
bankrupt!
Anti-Bank ... The Bank War
– Jackson government
declared that lands
must be paid with
hard currency
– Depression & Panic
of 1837 leads to
banking reforms
Results of the Specie Circular
$ Banknotes loose their value.
$ Land sales plummeted.
$ Credit not available.
$ Businesses began to fail.
$ Unemployment rose.
The Panic of 1837!
The 1836 Election
Results
Martin Van Buren
“Old Kinderhook”
[O. K.]
“All Fours- Important State of the Game- The
Knave About to be Lost.”
The differences in party philosophy between the Democrats and the Whigs,
the reasons for the Whig victory in 1840, and the effect of the election on
political campaigning.
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This is a political cartoon from the 1836 US
Presidential Election Campaign.
Martin Van Buren (seated on the left) and
William Henry Harrison (seated on the right)
play cards.
Jackson is peeking at William Henry
Harrison's cards to cheat on behalf of Van
Buren and Richard Johnson (Van Buren's
running mate) is standing near Martin Van
Buren in an effort to assist him to victory.
The title of the cartoon reads “All FoursImportant State of the Game- The Knave
About to be Lost.”
The term “knave” means; a boy servant; a
male servant; a man of humble birth or
position; a tricky deceitful fellow. Van
Buren won this election, but lost four years
later in 1840 to the same Whig candidate,
Harrison.
The People’s Bridge
Tippecanoe & Tyler
too!
1840-1844
• William Henry Harrison symbol
– no political record
– political packaging
– Clay planning to
control
– W.H.H. death
• John Tyler - disowned by
party
– against bank
– Whig party disintegrates in
south
– Webster Ashburton Treaty
Indian Nations after 1812
Obj: The reasons why the eastern Indians were removed to the West
and the impact this had on the tribes.
-British eliminated
-Tecumseh defeated
-Treaties and land
-125,000 Natives
-Conflict with states
-Assimilation?
-Extermination?
-Removal?
“Five Civilized Tribes”
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Cherokee
Choctaw
Chickasaw
Creek
Seminole
William McIntosh
Cherokee Nation
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Constitution
Dictionary
Cherokee Phoenix
Bilingual
Schools & churches
Sequoyah 
Chief and creator of
“Talking Leaves”
Georgia and the Cherokee
• GA ignored
1827 constitution
• Jurisdiction over tribe
• Farm land
• Barred from court
• Gold, 1829
Indian Removal Act, 1830
• Jackson disliked federalIndian relations
• Did not want to void
treaties
• “Save” the Indians from
harm
• East of the Mississippi
River
• Open land for white
farmers
Trail of Tears
Resistance to Removal, 1831-2
Obj: The judicial climate of the Taney Court, how it differed in principle from
the decisions of the earlier Marshall Court, and how it worked to foster
Jacksonian ideals.
Worcester v. Georgia
Cherokee v. Georgia
-Tribe sued Georgia
-Are Cherokees a foreign
nation?
-“Domestic dependent
nations”
-Indians and federal
government
-Rev. Samuel Worcester
-GA arrested him
-Sued GA, won in Court
-States lack power on
reservation
Chief Justice John Marshall
• “…one of the great
constitutional crises in
the history of the
nation.”
• Jackson Ignored Marshall
Cherokee Removal
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Chief John Ross
Opposed removal
16,000 signatures
Wife died on Trail of
Tears
• Chief until 1860s
Trail of Tears
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1838: ¼ Died on trip
No compensation for property
Cold, hunger, disease
Some refused to go, remain in GA, NC, TN
Indian
Removal
More Removal to Indian Territory
Conclusions: Indian affairs
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1840s Indian Affairs shift to Plains
Most Natives relocated east of Miss.
Seminole Wars in Florida
Indian Nations above states
Direct relations with federal government.
All the rights secured to the citizens under the
Constitution are worth nothing, and a mere bubble,
except guaranteed to them by an independent and
virtuous Judiciary. - Andrew Jackson
Conclusions for Jacksonian America
• Mass politics
• Growth and decline of
democracy
• Religious revivalism
• Importance of Race
• Indian removal and
resistance