The Rise of Jackson & Nationalism
The Big Idea and Why it Matters
- Nationalism exerted a strong influence on the courts, foreign affairs, and westward expansion in the early 1800s
- Nationalism continues to affect such decisions as whether we should involve the country in foreign conflicts and what limits can be placed on business, communications, and trade
Essential Questions
- How can political and economic conflict shape the future of a nation
- What are the conditions that would lead to a presidential impeachment? Do they apply to President Jackson’s administration?
John Quincy Adams
- As the secretary of state, Adams shaped American foreign policy around nationalism.
Nationalism
- Is the belief that national interests should be placed ahead of regional concerns or the interests of other countries
Adam-Onis Treaty
- Spain ceded Florida to the United States and gave up its claims to the Oregon territory
America moves west
- Presidents Adams and Monroe established policies that expanded US territories, and American settlers moved into the Northwest territory
- Land was plentiful, fertile, and cheap.
- There were social gains for people moving west, with people able to change occupations easily.
Missouri Compromise
- A series of compromises that kept the number of slave holding states equal to the number of free states
- Missouri became a slave state
- Maine entered as a free state
The Age of Jackson
The Big Idea and Why it Matters
- Andrew Jackson’s policies spoke for the common people but violated Native American rights.
- The effect of land losses and persecution faced by Native Americans in the 1800s continue to be reflected in their legal struggles today
- Jackson’s upbringing connects him to the common man coming from humble & tough beginnings
- Fighting for American Independence & winning the Battle of New Orleans helped him to connect with the American People
- Due to the election being “inconclusive”, the decision goes to vote in the HoR
- Henry Clay & John Q. Adams make an arrangement → the Corrupt Bargain
- Clay will convince the HoR to vote for Adams
- Adams will appoint Clay to Secretary of State
Democratic-Republican Party
- After the corrupt election of 1824, Andrew Jackson and his supporters (Jacksonians) left the Republican party to form the Democratic-Republican party shortened to the Democratic party
Election of 1828
- Do over of the 1824 Election
- Jackson v Adams
- Jackson wins the election ( both popular & Electoral)
- Begins the age of the Common Man 🡪 more common people voting
- Voting requirements change
- No longer need to own large land plots to vote
- Voting requirements change
The Common Man
- Jackson’s 1828 victory ushered in the Age of the Common Man
- Considered a champion of the common man - protecting them from a government run by the elite
- Expansion of suffrage rights to most white males over the age of 21.
- Jacksonian democracy focused on farmers and man’s connection to the land
- Liked people to be Rugged, individual, independent, etc.
Spoils System
- New presidents typically kept government officials appointed by their predecessors.
- Jackson replaced 2% of jq adams appointees with party loyalists spoils system practice of rewarding loyal paryty supporters with positions in the governement
- Spoils System → practice of rewarding loyal party supporters with positions in the government (often well paying)
- Pros / Cons of the Spoils System? What were the impacts of the Spoils system?
- People are not necessarily qualified because they are supporters
- this also can hurt the other party when the president switches
- think about if joe biden had to deal with all of the people in the government having been directly appointed by trump
Indian Removal Act of 1830
- Jackson thought that assimilation was impossible
- Congress negotiated treaties that forced Native Americans West
Trail of Tears
- The forced migration of the Cherokee people over 800 miles
- 1/4 of those that made the trip died along the way
- New land was inferior to their old land