1. Essential Question:
How did America progress towards greater democracy between 1800 & 1840?
Examine Alexis de Tocqueville’s journey through America in the 1830s & read excerpts from his observations. What did this French visitor observe about U.S. society & gov’t in the 1830s?
Lesson Plan for Friday, October 3, 2008: Warm-Up—Examine Alexis de Tocqueville, Growth of Democracy Notes, JQ Adams Video

2. Alexis de Tocqueville

3. The Growth of White Men's Democracy

4. The Growth of Democracy
Less than 50% of white men could vote
From 1824 to 1840, democracy was extended to more Americans:
Before 1800, most states limited the right to vote exclusively to property owners & taxpayers
By 1840, these restrictions were removed for most white men
Nowhere else in the world was the right to vote as widespread as in the USA
This increase in “democracy” was a major shift from the “virtuous republic” envisioned by Jefferson & Hamilton
90% of white men could vote

5. The Growth of Democracy
There was a growing % of Americans who owned no land
White males were seen as equal before the law & in voting
By the 1830s, a “democracy of commoners” became more accepted than a “republic of natural aristocrats”
Positions of power became attainable for “self-made” men
Americans valued equal opportunities among white men, but not necessarily equality
Rising industrialization led to a population of low-paid laborers
Decreased requirements in the licensed professions
Division between commercial farmers & yeoman farmers
No clear domestic servant class

6. The Simple Answer: Westward expansion led to an increase in democracy
Before 1800, most states limited the right to vote exclusively to property owners & taxpayers
Quick Class Discussion: Why did this unprecedented growth in democracy occur?
The Simple Answer: Westward expansion led to an increase in democracy

7. Westward expansion led to increased suffrage for “common” men in the “new states” who did not qualify in the “older states”
Jefferson’s vision of “republicanism” did not apply in the West because there were no “virtuous elite” to rule for the people
By 1840, more than 90% of all adult white men could vote (“universal white male suffrage”)
As more western states extended democracy to “common men,” political parties in eastern states felt pressure to do the same
But…this extension of suffrage did not include African-Americans or women

8. Universal Manhood Suffrage
Political parties developed new types of politicking in order to reach “new voters”
In the 1820s, politicians began using campaigns, parades, slogans to appeal to the masses
Well-organized, statewide “political machines” developed
Party loyalty became expected
Partisan newspapers boomed

9. Universal Manhood Suffrage
Partisan newspapers played an important role in early American politics
Could “mob rule” really work in America?

10. Universal Manhood Suffrage
The 1830s & 1840s experienced:
Massive voter turnout due to the growth of suffrage & increased organization of political parties
Direct methods of selecting presidential electors, county officials, state judges, & governors (replaced indirect methods by state legislatures)

11. What is voter turnout like today?

12. Democratic Culture
In the 1830s, high literacy & cheap printing allowed artists & writers to work for a “mass” audience:
Popular genres include romanticism, gothic horror, & landscape paintings
Authors included Wadsworth, Emerson, Melville, Hawthorne, Whitman, Poe; showed human nature, morality, romanticism

13. Kindred Spirits, by Asher Durand

14. Politics: The Elections of 1824 & 1828 John Quincy Adams video

15. The Election of 1824
Sec of State under Monroe
Sec of Treasury under Monroe
The election of 1824 was a 4-way race among Dem-Republicans:
John Quincy Adams represented New England
William Crawford represented the South
Henry Clay & Andrew Jackson represented the West
Jackson won the popular vote but not a majority of electoral votes
Not taken seriously at first; but “war hero” status made Jackson a nat’l candidate
Speaker of the House; author of American System

16. Adams won when Henry Clay threw his support behind him
But, because no one candidate received 51% of the electoral votes, the House of Reps had to determine the presidential winner
JQ Adams won NE
Adams won when Henry Clay threw his support behind him
Led to charges that Adams had "bought" the presidency (Corrupt Bargain!!)
Crawford won VA but few other Southern states
Clay’s influence was limited to a few western states
Jackson did well in the South & the West

17. J. Q. Adams' Administration
Adams had a difficult presidency:
JQ Adams wanted to continue the nationalist programs of the “Era of Good Feelings”
The depression of 1819 limited the nationalist agenda & few of Adams’ policies became law
A protective tariff was passed to help farmers & industry, but this angered the South
One exception: the National Road

18. Jackson Comes to Power
“Jacksonians” prepared for the election of 1828 by creating a well-organized, national campaign
Jackson (TN) formed a coalition with Adams’ VP Calhoun (SC), Van Buren (NY), & 2 newspaper editors (KY) to rival JQ Adams
Formed the basis of 1st modern political party, calling themselves the “Democrats”
“Democrats” distinguished themselves as different from the “Nationalist Republicans” who has strayed from the Jeffersonian ideal
But, these “Jacksonian Democrats” are not going to mirror the “Jeffersonian Republicans”

19. Jackson Comes to Power The election of 1828 changed American politics:
Democrats presented Jackson as “Old Hickory,” uneducated, a hero, a dueler & a man of the people
The election of 1828 changed American politics:
Showed the effectiveness of political parties in elections
It was the 1st election with overt mudslinging & propaganda
Exciting appeals to average the man (public rallies & barbeques)
Jackson won the election as a “common man of the people”
Democrats painted Adams as an out-of-touch aristocrat
“Ms. Jackson is a bigamist” & “Ms. Adams is a bastard”

20. Jackson’s wild & rowdy inauguration
Who is Andrew Jackson?
Jackson’s wild & rowdy inauguration

21. Jackson Comes to Power
Jackson was a popular candidate but it was not clear what type of president Jackson would be:
Jackson’s supporters wanted states’ rights & limited gov’t
During the campaign, Jackson never clarified his stand on major issues: banks, tariffs, etc.
Only stood for Indian removal

22. Conclusions In the 1820s & 1830s, America became more democratic:
Westward expansion facilitated the expansion of suffrage for common white men
Led to unprecedented voter participation by citizens
Allowed for a new breed of “common man” politicians to come to power

23. Review Questions:
What did the term common man mean in the early 19th century?
In what ways were Presidents Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, & Monroe different from the “common man”?