Democracy and Andrew Jackson

1
Democracy and Andrew Jackson

• From the War of 1812 to Pre-Civil War America

2
Theme of Today What does it mean to be
Democratic?

• 3 Aspects of Democracy

1. Acting in the best interest of all people.
2. Promoting equality of all people
3. Respecting the Constitution
3
The War of 1812

• Combatants United States and Great Britain
• -Why are they fighting?
• -GB and France at war US helps both
• -GB wants to board American ships
• -When US refuses, GB blows up USS Chesapeake
• -US declares war on GB even though we were
  completely unprepared
• -US gets stomped loses many battles, White
  House burned down
• -War ends for no real reason zero territory
  exchanges hands

4
So where does Jackson fit in?

• The Battle of New Orleans
• -Jackson leads American troops in the greatest
  American victory of the war, January 8, 1815
• -Problem The war had been over for two weeks
• -Jackson seen as war hero

"Gentlemen, the British are below the city! We
must fight them tonight." -- Gen. Andrew Jackson
5
Jacksons rise to Power

• Jacksons victory makes him extremely popular,
  but he loses the election of 1824
• -Actually, Jackson won the popular vote, but
  didnt get enough electoral college votes. When
  the vote went to the House of Representatives,
  the Western, unsophisticated Jackson stood no
  chance. He lost to John Q. Adams.
• -Jackson begins campaigning immediately after
  the vote. He campaigns for 4 years and wins the
  election of 1828 in a landslide

6
Jackson the Common Mans President
Three Areas of Contention

• 1 The Spoils System. After election, Jackson
  immediately removes 10 percent of all
  officeholders under his power and appoints his
  friends and supporters...known as The Spoils
  System.

2 Native American Policies. Congress then passes
Jacksons Indian Removal Act, allowing Jackson to
move Native Americans off their land and to
reservations west of the Mississippi River.
3 The Bank War. Jackson then attempts to
eliminate the National Bank because he felt it
was a corrupt institution that kept the common
man down.
7
So was Jackson Democratic?

• The Spoils System
• -Jackson removed 690 people from office and
  replaced them with friends and supporters (to
  the victor goes the spoils).
• -Allowed people who hadnt previously been
  allowed in government to participate
• -Made decisions according to personal gain.

8
So was Jackson Democratic?

• Indian Removal
• -Jackson took people from their homes, laced
  their blankets with smallpox, and forced them to
  walk hundreds of miles.
• -He claimed he was freeing up land for the
  American citizen (voters).

9
So was Jackson Democratic?

• The Bank War
• -The National bank maintained US currency and
  maintained much of the economic wealth of the
  United States.
• -Jackson felt the Bank was a privileged
  institution that served only the interests of
  the wealthy and did nothing for the common
  mantoo much power, too few hands.
• -Jackson defies vetoes the banks charter in
  1836, and asked the Secretary of the Treasury to
  stop putting government money in the bank. When
  he refused, Jackson fired him and selected
  someone who would put money in state Banks (Pet
  banks)
• -Results New political party (Whigs)
  created to oppose Jackson Nation goes into a
  depression Jackson ignores Checks and Balances
  Constitutional problems.

10
Jacksonian Democracy

• Democratic or not?
• -Jacksons goal was to help the common man and
  take the government away from the rich elite. In
  many ways, he did that. However, in doing so he
  contradicted many of the basic ideas of the
  Constitution and challenged long-held beliefs
  about the makeup of American democracy. So the
  question remains, Was Andrew Jackson
  democratic? You must decide that for yourself.

• Quote describing Andrew Jackson
• No one likes him, except the people."