Adams Vs Jackson Analysis
1. Election of 1828: Adams v Jackson
AJ just got out of a loss in 1824 election where he felt cheated.
In 1828 election, his strategy was to rely on his good military reputation and Adams bad reputation for making enemies. He also decided to avoid taking a stand on the issues to make sure he doesn’t displease anyone.
“The campaign was disgraced by character assassination and lies of the worst sort.”(251) AJ’s opponents attacked his wife, calling her an adulteress, and they called him a tyrant and a drunk gambler.
“The 1828 election stimulated party formation because instead of several sectional candidates, each dominant in his own region, competing for the presidency, it pitted two nationally known men against each other.” (251) As a result, people had to choose a side and then organize forces to defend their side. The formation happened faster in “neutral” states where neither Jackson nor Adams had a lot of supporters as. (this connects with #5)
2. spoils system …show more content…
The practice where a political party, after winning an election, gives government jobs to its supporters, friends and relatives as a reward for working toward victory, and as an incentive to keep working for the party.
Filling one’s party with its supporters is an old concept, but AJ’s spoil system seemed revolutionary because Adams before him never removed/appointed anyone for political reasons and AJ did. “Jackson was determined to root out the thieves.”(253) Jackson fired people working in government who were unfit for their jobs. He fired government workers who had grown senile or corrupt and fired others who were drunks or
thieves.
Gives government jobs to its voters (or supporters) after a political party wins in order to reward them in helping them towards their victory encourages people to keep voting/vote for them
3. principle of rotation
Jackson thought that people who are in office for a long period of time will eventually disregard public opinion. By “rotating” the members of his cabinet, Jackson would allow more citizens to participate in government. ( but he actually appointed people from the social and intellectual elite.) Rotating government workers who had the same job for a long time into other jobs within the government.
4. Jackson’s popularity and reasons for success
-President of the people
-Inspired by Jefferson
- Personality (patriotic, chivalric)
- Hero of Battle of New Orleans
-”Friend of the common man”
5. Jackson’s democracy: changes, policies
General Changes from past:
“The difference between Jeffersonian Democracy and the Jackson variety was more one of attitude than of practice.” (250)
Jef believed citizens need to be educated to be right; Jackson believed everyone is born with the instinct to tell right and wrong (being average/common was a good thing)
People in Jefferson and Washington's time did not fully follow the founding father’s intent that ordinary men should have political power in order to protect himself against the superior man; they just let the powerful take the lead. This started to change as new policies in states started to form, such as the constitution that eliminated property qualifications for voting and holding office and more political offices are electing instead of appointing. (system of congress naming president candidates ended in 1828 after AJ was elected) This was because Americans in Jacksonian time start to believe that “every person was as competent and as politically important as his neighbor.” (250.)
Social Changes in Jacksonian democracy:
Final disestablishment of churches (to show no special privileges) began free school movement increase # of newspapers, decrease newspaper prices, and concentrate news more on political affairs
All these show AJ’s effort in bringing news to people so they can be more involved. The results of this are: much more people voted and voting became important to them lead to more competition so it started to cost more for candidates to run campaigns; parties become powerful and they attracted voter’s loyalty powerfully people were more opinionated and choose sides (lead to formation of parties) found that best way to attract voters was with “flattery” 6. Webster’s reply to Hayne in the 1830 debate
Hayne thinks that if the federal government distributed its surplus revenues, it could not reduce the price of public lands without going into debt--wants to form a south and west alliance based on chao land and low tariffs
Webster accuse Hayne and South Carolina of advocating of disunionist policies
“The Constitution was a compact of the Ameri people not merely the states, [Webster] insisted...” (254)
Webster stopped a west/south alliance
Webster stood up for northeastern interests
7. Election of 1832 (campaign issues)
AJ wanted to destroy the second Bank of US--AJ ended up winning the fight but it was not beneficial to the country
This election revolved around the Second Bank of the United States
Andrew Jackson used his presidential veto power to veto the national bank- lead to criticism among the people and lead him being portrayed as “King Andr ew”
Henry Clay decided to make the issue of the bank veto a major issue in the campaign
Henry Clay made his campaign headquarters in Pennsylvania (where the bank’s headquarters was at) where he was very popular- his plan backfired and Jackson won by an overwhelming margin
The bank was considered a tool for the rich people which was why it was so unpopular among the common people
8. Biddle’s banking policies thought the bank could operate as a central bank and regulate credit and control lending policies (ex. told state banks they had to have adequate reserves of gold and silver, which limited lending) the purpose is to stabilize economy these earned good profits for the states and the country
Introduced the idea of using bank notes which were convertible into money; increased supply of silver and gold in banks Rural bankers indirectly stimulated farmers to expand their output beyond current demand --> decline in prices and agricultural depression
Reckless lending caused inflation
Many distrusted paper money
9. Jackson’s attack on the national bank
1832, congress passed the recharter bill for the bank and Jackson vetoed it
“it was a monopoly” because it made rich people richer
Biddle gravitating towards Clay and National Republican party
Clay and Webster (and other National Republicans) hope to use Bank controversy against Jackson
Try to renew Bank charter
If vetoed, Clay could support Bank controversy in next election and use it to gain popularity Jackson vetoed; argued Bank is unconstitutional
10. Jackson’s position on state’s rights believed that local projects should be left to states (vetoed a bill providing aid to construct a road because the road was only within kentucky and thinks kentucky should take care of it themselves) (page 258)
Took the states’ rights position in the controversy that arose between the Cherokee Indians (Worcester vs. Georgia) and (Cherokee Nation vs. Georgia) against South Carolina in the Nullification Crisis- “If a state could nullify a law of Congress, the Union could not exist”(261). Began military preparations to force South Carolina back into place
11. Jackson’s policy towards Native Americans said that they were savage people supported states and said that they had the power to deal with the indians he would promise them a treaty to keep their land, but he wouldn’t follow through with it he claims that the indians are “savage” so the cherokee try to appease americans by making a written language and making a functional government but AJ still want them to leave cuz what he wants is the land
12. Similarities and Differences between southeastern tribes: Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Seminole, Creek
Cherokee: lived in a fertile area that tried to assimilate into white society but were forced to move (rounded up and moved)
Choctaw: land broken up into individual holdings, quickly agreed to migrate, but they experienced horrible conditions when being moved
Chickasaw: land broken up into individual holdings, quickly agreed to migrate
Seminole: southern florida, fought, but ended up surrendering
Creek: land broken up into individual holdings, short on money and food, but refused to go west. some assimilated, some fought against the white people. tried to sign treaties
13. Worcester v. Georgia (Marshall and Jackson’s position’s)
Marshall: the state could not control the Cherokee or their territory
Jackson: Fuck you, Marshall. Refused to enforce the court order
14. South Carolina Nullification Crisis (arguments, outcomes)
AJ first passed the tariff of 1828 to try to protect northern industry by making the imported goods from other countries more expensive than the homemade northern goods. However, the south did not like this because 1) they did not care about the american industries because the south didn't have any and are forced now to buy goods from the north 2) the south put all their money into slavery and making cotton and not industry so AJ is basically making them invest in something they didn't want to 3) britain was starting to make less profit off selling things to the US so it became harder for the south to sell their cotton to britain. In addition, one of the south’s expectations of AJ was that he would reduce the cost of the tariffs but he in fact did the opposite with the tariff of 1828, making the south hate him and the tariff even more.
The north also continued to criticize slavery and the south was beginning to get overwhelmed with all the slave revolts and a nullification to them seemed like logical defense.
The south mainly argued how it was unconstitutional and tyranny
After the tariff of 1828, AJ want to appease the south a little and passed the tariff of 1832, which lowered the tariff prices a little. But it was not lowered enough to satisfy the South Carolinians and they nullified (or declared legally void) the tariff and refused to pay only within SC
15. Force Bill
AJ really supported keeping the union together said that “if a state could nullify a law of Congress, the Union could not exist”
The South carolinians continued to nullify the tariff by refusing to pay so AJ made a huge army of 50,000 to march down to SC to collect taxes and scare SC into reverse their nullification and administration leaders granted him the force bill that gave him power to grant the tariff in SC. (sounds a little like tyranny doesn’t it? this is what solidified AJ’s reputation, at least among the whigs, of being a tyrant) many people stop buying land
One of Jackson’s ways of attacking the bank
20. Whig Party (beliefs, strategies)
Anti-Jackson
Mostly contained people who understood banking and wealthy people
Conflict within the party because the only thing they had in common was their dislike of Jackson
“Too many generals, not enough troops”
21. Van Buren’s presidency
Jacksonian democracy without Jackson, fought bank of US as a monopoly, opposed irresponsible state banks. favored state rather than national programs. took office during Panic of 1837 because banks stopped specie payments (converting paper money to full specie value), resumed specie payments in 1838. led major recession. Van Buren did nothing, “the less the gov. interferes w/ private pursuits the better…” (265). contradictory to the theory of jacksonians caring for the ordinary citizens. Van buren also wanted to “divorce” the gov from all banking activities (independent treasury act), stored funds in us treasury apart from nat. banking.
22. Independent Treasury Act
Was supposed to pay out its funds independent of the Bank and financial system of the nation
Called for the construction of government owned vaults where federal revenues could be stored until needed
“divorce” the government from all banking activities
All payments to the government were to be made in hard cash
Bankers and business men objected to the government’s withholding so much specie from the banks, which needed all the hard money they could get to support loans that were the lifeblood of economic growth
The public did not trust the banks- did not support them
23. Election of 1840
Harrison (whig party) ran against Van Buren (democratic party)
The whigs did same thing that the Democrats used with Jackson (“the common man”)
The whigs made him look like the “true common man” who lived in a cabin and drinks ordinary hard cider and eats hot meat, compared to Van Buren who drinks expensive drinks foreign wine and has fancy food from French chefs. (in reality, he was well educated, came from a pretty well off family, and certainly did not live in a cabin)
24. Harrison’s presidency
Harrison was elected as president as part of the whig party in 1841
Harrison died 1 month after being inaugurated his vice president Tyler took up office after his death
25. temperance movement (per capita consumption rates, effectiveness of reform)
Per Capita Rates: 5 gallons before, and then 2 gallons per year
Effectiveness of reform:American Temperance Union employed lectures, pamphlets, etc. to increase awareness. Also showed “smarts” by doing sociology study that drinking=crime
Maine also passed a law prohibiting alcohol, later many other states passed laws too. these were all very effective
26. Garrison’s view on slavery and his effectiveness
View: Extreme abolitionist (wanted “immediate abolition”)
Effectiveness: Because of his belief on immediate abolition, he was attacked by mobs
27. factors in the growth of the women’s movement
-not being able to participate in abolitionist movement
-different spheres, women didn't want to have a “specialized” role that deemed them as second class citizens
28. Frederick Douglass’s views on black equality
Fight slavery and racism within the system vs. rejecting it (unlike Garrison, therefore Douglass received more support)
29. Declaration of Sentiments at Seneca Falls
Drafted by Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Patterned on the Dec. of Ind.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal,” it stated, and went on to list the “injuries and usurpations” of men, just as Jefferson had outlined those of George III.
30. Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Abolitionist and feminist
31. Similarities between the reform movements there wasn't a lot of conflict and the reforms were relatively accepted. Citizens were aware of the need to improve society. mostly guided by citizens, not involved with politics really (except maybe the abolitionist movement [territory dispute])
AJ just got out of a loss in 1824 election where he felt cheated.
In 1828 election, his strategy was to rely on his good military reputation and Adams bad reputation for making enemies. He also decided to avoid taking a stand on the issues to make sure he doesn’t displease anyone.
“The campaign was disgraced by character assassination and lies of the worst sort.”(251) AJ’s opponents attacked his wife, calling her an adulteress, and they called him a tyrant and a drunk gambler.
“The 1828 election stimulated party formation because instead of several sectional candidates, each dominant in his own region, competing for the presidency, it pitted two nationally known men against each other.” (251) As a result, people had to choose a side and then organize forces to defend their side. The formation happened faster in “neutral” states where neither Jackson nor Adams had a lot of supporters as. (this connects with #5)
2. spoils system …show more content…
The practice where a political party, after winning an election, gives government jobs to its supporters, friends and relatives as a reward for working toward victory, and as an incentive to keep working for the party.
Filling one’s party with its supporters is an old concept, but AJ’s spoil system seemed revolutionary because Adams before him never removed/appointed anyone for political reasons and AJ did. “Jackson was determined to root out the thieves.”(253) Jackson fired people working in government who were unfit for their jobs. He fired government workers who had grown senile or corrupt and fired others who were drunks or
thieves.
Gives government jobs to its voters (or supporters) after a political party wins in order to reward them in helping them towards their victory encourages people to keep voting/vote for them
3. principle of rotation
Jackson thought that people who are in office for a long period of time will eventually disregard public opinion. By “rotating” the members of his cabinet, Jackson would allow more citizens to participate in government. ( but he actually appointed people from the social and intellectual elite.) Rotating government workers who had the same job for a long time into other jobs within the government.
4. Jackson’s popularity and reasons for success
-President of the people
-Inspired by Jefferson
- Personality (patriotic, chivalric)
- Hero of Battle of New Orleans
-”Friend of the common man”
5. Jackson’s democracy: changes, policies
General Changes from past:
“The difference between Jeffersonian Democracy and the Jackson variety was more one of attitude than of practice.” (250)
Jef believed citizens need to be educated to be right; Jackson believed everyone is born with the instinct to tell right and wrong (being average/common was a good thing)
People in Jefferson and Washington's time did not fully follow the founding father’s intent that ordinary men should have political power in order to protect himself against the superior man; they just let the powerful take the lead. This started to change as new policies in states started to form, such as the constitution that eliminated property qualifications for voting and holding office and more political offices are electing instead of appointing. (system of congress naming president candidates ended in 1828 after AJ was elected) This was because Americans in Jacksonian time start to believe that “every person was as competent and as politically important as his neighbor.” (250.)
Social Changes in Jacksonian democracy:
Final disestablishment of churches (to show no special privileges) began free school movement increase # of newspapers, decrease newspaper prices, and concentrate news more on political affairs
All these show AJ’s effort in bringing news to people so they can be more involved. The results of this are: much more people voted and voting became important to them lead to more competition so it started to cost more for candidates to run campaigns; parties become powerful and they attracted voter’s loyalty powerfully people were more opinionated and choose sides (lead to formation of parties) found that best way to attract voters was with “flattery” 6. Webster’s reply to Hayne in the 1830 debate
Hayne thinks that if the federal government distributed its surplus revenues, it could not reduce the price of public lands without going into debt--wants to form a south and west alliance based on chao land and low tariffs
Webster accuse Hayne and South Carolina of advocating of disunionist policies
“The Constitution was a compact of the Ameri people not merely the states, [Webster] insisted...” (254)
Webster stopped a west/south alliance
Webster stood up for northeastern interests
7. Election of 1832 (campaign issues)
AJ wanted to destroy the second Bank of US--AJ ended up winning the fight but it was not beneficial to the country
This election revolved around the Second Bank of the United States
Andrew Jackson used his presidential veto power to veto the national bank- lead to criticism among the people and lead him being portrayed as “King Andr ew”
Henry Clay decided to make the issue of the bank veto a major issue in the campaign
Henry Clay made his campaign headquarters in Pennsylvania (where the bank’s headquarters was at) where he was very popular- his plan backfired and Jackson won by an overwhelming margin
The bank was considered a tool for the rich people which was why it was so unpopular among the common people
8. Biddle’s banking policies thought the bank could operate as a central bank and regulate credit and control lending policies (ex. told state banks they had to have adequate reserves of gold and silver, which limited lending) the purpose is to stabilize economy these earned good profits for the states and the country
Introduced the idea of using bank notes which were convertible into money; increased supply of silver and gold in banks Rural bankers indirectly stimulated farmers to expand their output beyond current demand --> decline in prices and agricultural depression
Reckless lending caused inflation
Many distrusted paper money
9. Jackson’s attack on the national bank
1832, congress passed the recharter bill for the bank and Jackson vetoed it
“it was a monopoly” because it made rich people richer
Biddle gravitating towards Clay and National Republican party
Clay and Webster (and other National Republicans) hope to use Bank controversy against Jackson
Try to renew Bank charter
If vetoed, Clay could support Bank controversy in next election and use it to gain popularity Jackson vetoed; argued Bank is unconstitutional
10. Jackson’s position on state’s rights believed that local projects should be left to states (vetoed a bill providing aid to construct a road because the road was only within kentucky and thinks kentucky should take care of it themselves) (page 258)
Took the states’ rights position in the controversy that arose between the Cherokee Indians (Worcester vs. Georgia) and (Cherokee Nation vs. Georgia) against South Carolina in the Nullification Crisis- “If a state could nullify a law of Congress, the Union could not exist”(261). Began military preparations to force South Carolina back into place
11. Jackson’s policy towards Native Americans said that they were savage people supported states and said that they had the power to deal with the indians he would promise them a treaty to keep their land, but he wouldn’t follow through with it he claims that the indians are “savage” so the cherokee try to appease americans by making a written language and making a functional government but AJ still want them to leave cuz what he wants is the land
12. Similarities and Differences between southeastern tribes: Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Seminole, Creek
Cherokee: lived in a fertile area that tried to assimilate into white society but were forced to move (rounded up and moved)
Choctaw: land broken up into individual holdings, quickly agreed to migrate, but they experienced horrible conditions when being moved
Chickasaw: land broken up into individual holdings, quickly agreed to migrate
Seminole: southern florida, fought, but ended up surrendering
Creek: land broken up into individual holdings, short on money and food, but refused to go west. some assimilated, some fought against the white people. tried to sign treaties
13. Worcester v. Georgia (Marshall and Jackson’s position’s)
Marshall: the state could not control the Cherokee or their territory
Jackson: Fuck you, Marshall. Refused to enforce the court order
14. South Carolina Nullification Crisis (arguments, outcomes)
AJ first passed the tariff of 1828 to try to protect northern industry by making the imported goods from other countries more expensive than the homemade northern goods. However, the south did not like this because 1) they did not care about the american industries because the south didn't have any and are forced now to buy goods from the north 2) the south put all their money into slavery and making cotton and not industry so AJ is basically making them invest in something they didn't want to 3) britain was starting to make less profit off selling things to the US so it became harder for the south to sell their cotton to britain. In addition, one of the south’s expectations of AJ was that he would reduce the cost of the tariffs but he in fact did the opposite with the tariff of 1828, making the south hate him and the tariff even more.
The north also continued to criticize slavery and the south was beginning to get overwhelmed with all the slave revolts and a nullification to them seemed like logical defense.
The south mainly argued how it was unconstitutional and tyranny
After the tariff of 1828, AJ want to appease the south a little and passed the tariff of 1832, which lowered the tariff prices a little. But it was not lowered enough to satisfy the South Carolinians and they nullified (or declared legally void) the tariff and refused to pay only within SC
15. Force Bill
AJ really supported keeping the union together said that “if a state could nullify a law of Congress, the Union could not exist”
The South carolinians continued to nullify the tariff by refusing to pay so AJ made a huge army of 50,000 to march down to SC to collect taxes and scare SC into reverse their nullification and administration leaders granted him the force bill that gave him power to grant the tariff in SC. (sounds a little like tyranny doesn’t it? this is what solidified AJ’s reputation, at least among the whigs, of being a tyrant) many people stop buying land
One of Jackson’s ways of attacking the bank
20. Whig Party (beliefs, strategies)
Anti-Jackson
Mostly contained people who understood banking and wealthy people
Conflict within the party because the only thing they had in common was their dislike of Jackson
“Too many generals, not enough troops”
21. Van Buren’s presidency
Jacksonian democracy without Jackson, fought bank of US as a monopoly, opposed irresponsible state banks. favored state rather than national programs. took office during Panic of 1837 because banks stopped specie payments (converting paper money to full specie value), resumed specie payments in 1838. led major recession. Van Buren did nothing, “the less the gov. interferes w/ private pursuits the better…” (265). contradictory to the theory of jacksonians caring for the ordinary citizens. Van buren also wanted to “divorce” the gov from all banking activities (independent treasury act), stored funds in us treasury apart from nat. banking.
22. Independent Treasury Act
Was supposed to pay out its funds independent of the Bank and financial system of the nation
Called for the construction of government owned vaults where federal revenues could be stored until needed
“divorce” the government from all banking activities
All payments to the government were to be made in hard cash
Bankers and business men objected to the government’s withholding so much specie from the banks, which needed all the hard money they could get to support loans that were the lifeblood of economic growth
The public did not trust the banks- did not support them
23. Election of 1840
Harrison (whig party) ran against Van Buren (democratic party)
The whigs did same thing that the Democrats used with Jackson (“the common man”)
The whigs made him look like the “true common man” who lived in a cabin and drinks ordinary hard cider and eats hot meat, compared to Van Buren who drinks expensive drinks foreign wine and has fancy food from French chefs. (in reality, he was well educated, came from a pretty well off family, and certainly did not live in a cabin)
24. Harrison’s presidency
Harrison was elected as president as part of the whig party in 1841
Harrison died 1 month after being inaugurated his vice president Tyler took up office after his death
25. temperance movement (per capita consumption rates, effectiveness of reform)
Per Capita Rates: 5 gallons before, and then 2 gallons per year
Effectiveness of reform:American Temperance Union employed lectures, pamphlets, etc. to increase awareness. Also showed “smarts” by doing sociology study that drinking=crime
Maine also passed a law prohibiting alcohol, later many other states passed laws too. these were all very effective
26. Garrison’s view on slavery and his effectiveness
View: Extreme abolitionist (wanted “immediate abolition”)
Effectiveness: Because of his belief on immediate abolition, he was attacked by mobs
27. factors in the growth of the women’s movement
-not being able to participate in abolitionist movement
-different spheres, women didn't want to have a “specialized” role that deemed them as second class citizens
28. Frederick Douglass’s views on black equality
Fight slavery and racism within the system vs. rejecting it (unlike Garrison, therefore Douglass received more support)
29. Declaration of Sentiments at Seneca Falls
Drafted by Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Patterned on the Dec. of Ind.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal,” it stated, and went on to list the “injuries and usurpations” of men, just as Jefferson had outlined those of George III.
30. Elizabeth Cady Stanton
Abolitionist and feminist
31. Similarities between the reform movements there wasn't a lot of conflict and the reforms were relatively accepted. Citizens were aware of the need to improve society. mostly guided by citizens, not involved with politics really (except maybe the abolitionist movement [territory dispute])