Chapter Summary: The Jacksonian Democracy

Ch.9: The Jacksonian democracy refers to the political philosophy of Andrew Jackson and his supporters. Jacksonian Democracy gave equal protection and equal benefits of all white Americans also known as the rise of the “common man”. Andrew Jackson won in the 1828 Presidential Election against John Quincy Adams. Jackson won the Presidential election and he used a system called the spoil system to replace the federal office holders with his own supporters. In 1832, Calhoun won the election to Senate and resigned as President Jackson’s Vice President. Also in that year, they passed a new lower tariff to appease the South. The Southerners were dissatisfied with the new Tariff and used Calhoun’s Nullification Act for defense. President Jackson and
Henry Clay made a deal for a lower tariff with South Carolina with a revision of the tariff. In 1830, the congress approves the Indian Removal Act. The act led to the government purchase of tribal lands and relocation of the Indians to the Trans-Mississippi West. The Cherokee sued Georgia in the Worcester v. Georgia, in which Chief Justice John Marshall sided with the Cherokee. However, President Jackson overstepped the Supreme Court and used federal troops under Gen. Winfield Scott to remove the Cherokee. Thousands of Cherokee died on their forced march to the west also known as the trail of tears.