Jacksonian Democracy:

1
The Jackson Era

• Jacksonian Democracy
• National conventions instead of members of
  Congress choosing Presidential candidates (caucus
  system), national nominating conventions began
  opening up the process to more of the common
  citizens input!
• Secret ballot early forms of todays secret
  ballots began under Jacksons Presidency ( Real
  choice of the people!)
• No property requirement by the mid-1820s, most
  states had eliminated the ownership of property
  as a requirement for voting, many more Americans
  could then participate and vote!
• Spoils system - Jackson supported the idea of
  appointing loyal party supporters to office (WHO
  you knownot WHAT you know!)
• Jacksons kitchen cabinet of common man
  advisors instead of typical presidential cabinet
  of political advisors
• Veto Power Jackson used the checks and
  balances power to veto more than all previous
  presidents combined

2
The Bank War

• Background Most Southern and Western states
  opposed the idea of a national bank. Jackson
  felt he had a responsibility to the people to
  bring an end to it.
• What happened ? When the issue came up to
  extend the provisions of the national bank for
  another 20 years, Jackson vetoed it and pulled
  federal money from it, ending it.
• Pet Banks
• (Wildcat Banks) Jackson took deposits from the
  B.U.S. (Federal banks) and placed them in state
  banks thus killing the Bank of the United States

3
The Nullification Crisis a battle of a states
right to not obey a federal law

• Tariff of 1828 - a tariff was placed on all
  imports into the country
• this cause an increase in the price of
  manufactured products
• states hurt most by this called it the Tariff of
  Abominations (South Carolina)
• States rights argument - led by John
  Calhoun, South Carolina argued that a state had
  the right to nullify (to make void doesnt
  exist ) any federal law that they saw as
  unconstitutional
• Since states originally agreed to form a nation,
  states also then had a right to ignore the
  nations laws!!!
• The Force Bill Congress gave Jackson power to
  use any means necessary to enforce South Carolina
  to pay the tariffs.
• Resolution Jackson eventually lowered the amount
  of the tariff and South Carolina withdrew its
  nullification of the tariff