1. Ch. 13 – 3 notes Notes can be found on Mr. Maxa’s website

2. THE BIRTH OF THE WHIGS With Jackson claiming his party as the ‘Democrats’, his political opponents optioned for name “Whigs”— the name of opponents of the monarchy during the Revolutionary War—thus implying Jackson as a tyrant Whigs were multidimensional which centered around hatred for Jackson (e.g. supported American System, states’ rightists, expansion of bank credit, higher taffics, nullification, northern industrialists, Anti-Masons) However, the Whigs also campaigned on the notion of supporting “the common man’ and A.J.’s Democrats as aristocratic In 1836, Jackson’s successor, Martin Van Buren, was hand-picked and served as more of a ‘yes man’ to Jackson The Whigs were still too divided in 1836 and did not choose one candidate but rather different ones from different regions—Van Buren won

3. Van Buren inherited a serious of problems including being ‘pushed’ through the Presidency, toil and enemies left over from Jackson, BUT the worst being a depression left over from the inflation caused by the pet banks—a Jackson creation Overseas, two prominent British banks failed and called in their loans from American banks. This led to spiral of events including the closing of hundreds of pet banks, less public land to sell, factories closed and employees in the streets – in short—a major repression (1837) Rather than putting federal funds into the economy to spur it, Van Buren idea’s of limited government decided to keep the federal funds separate from the public and let the economy dig its own way out known as the Divorce Scheme Whigs hated the idea and hoped for a return of the Bank of the U.S.

4. THE TEXAS REVOLUTION In 1821, Mexico received their independence from Spain The old and new regime granted American/Texan Stephen Austin a large land grant in the northern region of Mexico known as Texas land for an living colony if he brought individuals that met a certain criteria The “Old Three Hundred” were roughly 300 families who came with Austin to live in the region. They had to convert to Catholicism as well as become Mexican citizens and respect Mexican laws and authority Largely ignored, thousands rushed in to this desirable land looking for a new life (some for money, others to escape authority, G.T.T.) It did not take long for friction to develop between Mexican authorities and “Texanians”—largely over the issue of slavery which was outlawed in Mexico In 1833, when Stephen Austin went to Mexico City to negotiate a peace agreement, he was put in jail by the leader of Mexico, Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna

5. In 1836, Santa Anna sent troops into Texas when Texas broke away from Mexico declaring their independence and proclaiming the new Lone Star Republic—under the commander in chief Sam Houston In Feb. 1836, over 6,000 Mexican troops converged onto a mission in San Antonio, the Alamo, with roughly 200 Texans inside led by Col. William Travis including Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie All 212 Texans inside were killed Shortly after, nearly 400 Texans were butchered at Goliad Luring Santa Anna eastward, Texans, now supported by their neighbors to the north, rallied near the San Jacinto River and defeated Santa Anna, signed the treaty giving Texas their indep. The treaty designated the Rio Grande River as the border between Texas and Mexico—a debate to be settled later…. Texas would not be annexed by the U.S. for nearly a decade b/c of the issue of slavery – or what Northerners called ‘slavocracy’ In actuality, the expansion westward just happened to be in the South by Southerners were slavery already existed

6. THE ELECTION OF 1840 Martin Van “Ruin’ was nominated by the Democrats again in 1840 without enthusiasm The Whigs, learning from their mistake of too many candidate in 1836 nominated a candidate with little controversy and a great military record with victories at Tippecanoe and Thames in William Henry Harrison and running mate John Tyler The Whigs tried to campaign not a platform, but rather on a strong candidate who, like Jackson, represented the Western farmers through campaigns of log cabins and apple cider Also like Jackson, Harrison lived in a mansion but it was conceived that Van Buren was aristocratic and Harrison was a “common man” Harrison won the election

7. The Election of 1840 had two major themes: ONE—Candidates could not longer be untouchables, like the Founding Fathers were – ones who were too clean and too well dressed would not be elected TWO—a strong two party system emerged out of one ideal—The Jeffersonian republicanism Both parties were, socially and geographically diverse, mass-based who tried to mobilize as many voters as possible