The Era of Good Feelings and The Age of Jackson

The Era of Good Feelings Period after the War of 1812 Only one political party- Democratic-Republicans Federalist Party fell after War of 1812 Nationalism leads Americans to focus on American issues and unity

Federal Government Expands Chief Justice John Marshall ruled in favor of expansion of federal power in several key cases McCulloch vs. Maryland- federal government had power to create a national bank and states could not tax it Gibbons vs. Ogden- federal government could regulate interstate commerce Dartmouth College vs. Woodward- limited states’ power to interfere with business contracts

James Monroe Monroe Doctrine- Stated that Europe should stay out of Western hemisphere Adams-Onis Treaty- Gave Florida and Oregon territory to US Seminole Wars- fought in Florida and Georgia against white settlement Natives defeated by army led by Andrew Jackson

Election of 1824 John Quincy Adams Andrew Jackson Henry Clay William Crawford

Corrupt Bargain Andrew Jackson received the most popular votes and electoral college votes Jackson did not receive majority of electoral college votes so House of Representatives had to decide House of Representatives influenced by Henry Clay chose Adams over Jackson Clay would become Adams’ Secretary of State Jackson was greatly enraged calling this arrangement a “Corrupt Bargain”

John Quincy Adams Great Diplomat Responsible for Adams-Onis Treaty, Treaty of Ghent, and the Monroe Doctrine Seen as one of the best diplomats and Secretary of States in American History

Election of 1828 Rematch between John Q. Adams and Andrew Jackson With help of campaign manager Martin Van Buren, Jackson wins in a landslide

Andrew Jackson and the Common Man Symbol of American democracy War hero Farmer and Lawyer from Tennessee First president not to be from the upper class Appealed to the common man Nicknamed “Old Hickory” for his rugged nature

Jacksonian Democracy Supported more participation in government and politics by all Americans Supported the removal of land ownership as requirement to vote Similar to Jeffersonian Democracy power to the people and states with weak federal government Different to Jacksonian Democracy in that he supported a strong President Exercised his veto power 12 times

Spoils System System started by Jackson in which he gave government jobs to his supporters Idea was to encourage political engagement of all Americans “To the victor goes the spoils…”

Indian Removal Act Indian Removal Act of 1830- Exchange of Native Americans lands in the south for land in the west Those who did not follow the orders were forced to leave by government The journey made by many Cherokee out of the Southeast to Oklahoma became known as the Trail of Tears Roughly 4,000 of 16,000 Cherokee died of disease, famine, and exhaustion on the way

Nullification Crisis Congress adopted the Tariff of 1828 to raise tariffs to promote American industry The South despised the Tariff calling it the “Tariff of Abominations”

South’s Opposition to the Tariff of 1828 John C. Calhoun of South Carolina was the main enemy of the tariff He felt that SC should be able to nullify the tariff and threatened to secede from the union Jackson threatened to send down military force to enforce the tariff

Daniel Webster Daniel Webster blasted the South’s notion of nullification saying, “Liberty and Union, now and forever, one and inseparable.” Continues debate between power of the federal government and states’ rights Congress would eventually lower tariff which resolved the crisis

Removal of the National Bank Jackson opposed the National Bank because he felt it gave the federal government too much power Also felt it gave rich more power over poor farmers He vetoed its renewal and removed it Greatly angered the North whose economy was centered around banking

A New Party Emerges… In opposition to Jackson and the Democratic party, Henry Clay and Daniel Webster form a new political party known as the Whig party

North vs. South Due to these differences, sectionalism beings to rise Sectionalism- Division between the North and the South

Politics After Jackson Jackson’s VP Martin Van Buren became President Presided during the Panic of 1837- the nation’s worst depression yet Economic problems led to Whig William Henry Harrison to become President in 1840 He died of pneumonia after one month in office