Quiet and Seated

Jackson Era continued… Chapter 12 sec. 3 & 4

Conflicts Over States’ Rights When Jackson took office in 1829 there were 3 major economic issues that were pulling the nation apart – The sale of public land – Internal improvements – Tariffs The 3 regions – Northeast, West and South

Sale of public land in the West – N.E. opposed this because the low land prices attracted the workers the N.E. needed in the factories – West supported it because the more people in the West = More political power

Internal Improvements – Government spending on building new roads and canals N.E. and West supported Internal Improvements – Made it easier to transport food from the West to N.E. and then manufactured goods from N.E. to West South opposed it because the Gov. was financing the improvements through Tariffs – South did not want an increase tariffs

The N.E. favored high tariffs because it enabled them to produce and sell their goods at prices lower than imported goods The Southern economy depended on foreign trade The South opposed the tariffs – Tariffs are taxes on imported goods – They traded their cotton for credit which they used to buy foreign goods

Tariff of Abominations In 1828, just before Jackson took office, Congress passed a bill that raised the tariffs dramatically on raw materials and manufactured goods Southerners hated it and called it the T. of A. and blamed Adams for it.

The Tariff of Abomination hit S. Carolina really hard – Leaders from the state (S.C.)threatened to leave the union over the issue of tariffs John C. Calhoun (Jackson’s V.P.) expanded on an old idea – The doctrine of nullification – States could refuse to recognize a federal law within their borders

State’s Rights There was a growing division between supporters for a strong government vs. defenders of state’s rights – Webster – Hayne debate Senator Daniel Webster from Mass. defended a strong Fed. Gov Senator Robert Hayne from S. Carolina favored nullification

Division in the White House Jackson favored a strong government Calhoun favored state’s rights At the Jefferson ball the division was made public – Jackson’s toast – preserve the Union – Calhoun’s toast – states’ rights

Threats of Secession Jackson trying to preserve the union asked Congress to reduce the tariffs – Congress did, but Southerners still thought the tariffs were to high – S. Carolina threatened to secede during a congressional meeting – Jackson was mad He said that if S. Carolina left the union, he would “hang the first man of them I(A.J.) can get my hands on.”

Jackson ran for reelection 1832 without Calhoun as his V.P. Jackson won

Mr. Biddle’s Bank Nicholas Biddle was the president of the Second Bank of the US which controlled the nations money supply Jackson did not like Biddle’s influence on Congress – Jackson also felt the lending practices favored the wealthy and hurt the average person

Jackson vetoed the congress’s renewal of the bank’s charter – He claimed the bank was unconstitutional. – During Jacksons second term as President, he began to deposit federal money into state banks – Biddle retaliated by making it even harder to borrow money This backfired for Biddle – people supported Jackson

Prosperity Becomes Panic During the last years of Jackson’s presidency, most of the nation prospered Many people got loans to buy land – The state banks (“pet banks”) ended up printing too much money – inflation 1835 only year in US history that we were debt free

Martin Van Buren (A.J.’s vp) won the election of 1836 – Shortly after he took office the Panic of 1837 struck – Fear over the economy caused people to take their bank printed money to the banks and demanded gold or silver – The banks quickly ran out – Many banks defaulted on their loans and went out of business – A depression followed

The Whig Party Many Americans blamed Van Buren for the Panic. The Whig party was formed by Jackson’s opponents In the Election of 1840, William Henry Harrison and John Tyler were their nominees – Harrison was a war Hero

Van Buren’s supporters claimed Harrison was too old (68 yrs. Old). Harrison won a close election and to prove his age wasn’t a factor, he gave a two hour speech on a cold, rainy March day with no hat or coat Harrison caught a cold that turned into pneumonia. – He died on April 4, 1841 – Tyler became president

Complete the Chapter Review on page 388 – Terms & Names #1-10 – Review questions #1-10