1. Democracy Expands
By the 1820’s many states are now granting universal suffrage (the right to vote) to all white males. Since the American Revolution, most states have restricted voting to people who own property. The number of people now allowed to vote has just increased significantly.
This era is known as the Jacksonian Period and is characterized by Andrew Jackson’s Presidency and increased political representation for the “Common Man”.
The policies that Jackson pursues typically reflect the policies of Jefferson and the “Common Man”.
Jackson will attempt to weaken the influence and power of the Federal Government

2. Henry Clay Senator from Kentucky, known as “The Great Compromiser”.
Henry Clay’s political policies will be similar to policies pursued by Federalists 30 years earlier.
He is an advocate of the American System. An economic system based on government intervention in the form of tariffs, a strong National Bank, government funded internal improvements like roads and canals.
Clay is popular in the West and parts of the North, but not popular at all in the South. Most Southerners really hate the American System.
The hatred comes from tariffs that raise the price of goods and the power of the National Bank.
Clay and Jackson will be total enemies after the election and the “Corrupt Bargain”.

4. Jackson Presidency (1828-1834)
After almost winning the election in 1824, Jackson wins it in with the support of the “Common Man”. Democrats
Under the Spoil System he appoints his friends and close supporters to major political positions. He is not the first to do this, but is criticized for it.
In general Jackson supports a limited government, but will exercise major power when it suits him
His goals are to break down the American System by killing the National Bank and stop Government funded internal improvements.
He surprisingly supports the tariff, but does for political reasons.

6. Tariff of Abominations
Under President John Quincy Adams, the US has super high tariffs. These tariffs protect our young manufactures and industries from foreign competition. Mostly located in the North.
Andrew Jackson wants additional support for his Presidential campaign in 1828, so he initially supports the tariff to get more votes.
Southerners hate this tariff. They hate the fact that they pay higher prices for goods so that Northern manufactures and industries can benefit.
They feel that the Federal Government has no business favoring certain industries.
Southerners view the tariff as “little less than legalized pillage”

7. Tariff of Abominations/Nullification Crisis
Led by Vice-President John C. Calhoun, South Carolina attempts to nullify the federal tariff. Using the same logic that Thomas Jefferson uses in the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions, South Carolina attempts to asserts the state’s rights argument.
South Carolina declares the tariff un- Constitutional. The State declares it illegal to collect the tariff within South Carolina. Andrew Jackson now has a major crisis on hand.
The US Constitution does give the government the power to collect a tariff. John C. Calhoun is simply claiming the States created the National Government, so the States have ultimate authority of the constitutionality of issues. Just as Thomas Jefferson did when the Alien and Sedition Acts were passed.

8. Tariff of Abominations/Nullification Crisis
South Carolina threatens to secede over this issue and break apart the United States.
Common sense would tell you that Jackson would not support the tariff, but he does. Jackson refuses to let a State challenge the authority of the President or the US Government.
If he permits South Carolina to nullify a Federal Law, it makes his own authority weaker.
“Disunion by armed force is treason” – Andrew Jackson
Jackson gets Congress to pass a Military Force Bill allowing him use military force to get South Carolina to comply .
As he threatens South Carolina, he simultaneously flexes on the tariff, and the tariff rate is lowed substantially, which pleases the South. Crisis avoided.

10. “All bank charters are calculated to enhance the power of wealth, produce inequalities among people, and subvert liberty” Democratic Party Newspaper

13. Bank War
One of Jackson’s main goals is to kill the Bank of the United States (BUS). The BUS has been controversial ever since Alexander Hamilton proposed it in the 1780’s.
The charter (contract to operate) for the BUS is set to expire in 1836.
Henry Clay and other political allies of the BUS convince Congress to pass a bill in 1832 authorizing the re-chartering of the BUS. They want Jackson to make a decision on the BUS because they think it will cause him to lose the next Presidential election.
Jackson vetoes the bill re-chartering of the BUS. Clay and allies of the BUS thinks this is good, but the decisions is popular among Democrats. Jackson wins re-election.

14. Bank War
The BUS charter will expire in three years, but in Jackson wants to kill it prior to the expiration of it’s charter in 1836.
He appoints Roger Taney to the Treasury Secretary and orders him to pull all the money out of the BUS, and deposit it in State banks (Pet Banks) that were operated by loyal Jacksonians.
The legality of this is questionable.
Henry Clay and his Whig allies in the Senate attempt to Censure (a step in removal from office).
The BUS is officially killed when it’s charter expires.
The US enters a major economic crisis called the Panic of 1837

18. Indian Removal (1830)
Pressure on natives in the Southeast United States is now increasing. Cotton planters and Southern famers want the lands of the Cherokee, Creek, Chickasaw and Choctaw.
People who dislike natives favor removal, and many supporters of Native Americans also favor removal, seeing it as the only way to preserve these tribes.
Dozens of treaties have already been signed by various tribes and lots of tribal land has already been sold to whites.

19. Indian Removal (1830)
One of Jackson’s top priorities is to get Congress to pass the Indian Removal Act. This act creates a large reserve in modern day Oklahoma where all native tribes east of the Mississippi River are t be moved to.
This is a very popular act among Jacksonian Democrats. Many of his supporters are middle to lower class people who want to move onto the land. Other support comes from wealthy planters who simply want to expand cotton production.
The act promised money to natives if they relocate voluntarily.
A place where natives can live “As long as grass grows and water runs”
Some benevolent societies (evangelical protestant groups) petition the President to not sign the bill.

21. Worcester v. Georgia ( 1832)
The state of Georgia is violating numerous treaties with the Cherokee and encouraging people to move onto Cherokee land.
A white missionary is arrested on Cherokee land for refusing to swear an oath of allegiance to the State of Georgia and the constitutionality of his arrest makes it to the Supreme Court.
Chief Justice John Marshall rules that the Cherokee are “distinct political communities, having territorial boundaries, within which their authority is exclusive and guaranteed by the United States.”
Andrew Jackson encourages Georgia to continue to violate the Supreme Courts ruling and as the President, openly defies a Supreme Court order.
Consider the fact that many Americans are not mad about this during the 1830’s.

24.
22:00-39:00