Name______BL______Date______
US HISTORY
1828:
VOTE FOR
ANDREW JACKSON!
“Let the people rule!”
(Underline why was Andrew Jackson first associated with a donkey)
While many people in America became more confident about the common people participating in government; there were still people who believed this would lead to anarchy. Some thought Jackson was a DONKEY or “Jack - - -!” because he wanted to give the people power. Jackson was not offended by this image, but merely said he was like a donkey because he worked hard and would fight for the people. Historians view the period of Jackson as a split in the Democratic-Republican party; Jackson is referred to as a DEMOCRAT (off the Democratic-Republicans). And REPUBLICANS, who have roots in FEDERALISM call themselves Whigs. In modern day, the parties continue to use these symbols, but they are not official…
DONKEY/ ELEPHANT
Democrats / Republicans
List positive attributes of a donkey:
What might be some negative attributes: / List positive attributes of an elephant:
What might be some negative attributes:
Thomas Nast was a political cartoonist who made the donkey and elephant images popular.
USING THE ISSUES/RESOURCES ON PAGES 3-6, ANSWER THE FOLLOWING IN THE CHART…USE FULL SENTENCES AND ANSWER EACH QUESTIONS FULLY
ISSUE 1: THE INAUGURAL BASH
EVENT: List what happened at Andrew Jackson’s inaugural reception or party? (List 5 things people do; how do they act?) Why did this happen?
CARTOON: Jackson wanted the “people to rule” – how does painting reveal this?
DECIDE: Jackson’s supporters called his win a victory for the “farmers…of the country” over the “rich and well born.” Is he monarchist or “champion for democracy?”
ISSUE 2: TO THE VICTOR GO THE SPOILS
EVENT: Write what the “Spoils system” is in the chart
CARTOON: None
DECIDE: While Jackson was not the first to choose people in his party to be represented in the cabinet and government jobs, he did change 10% of offices. (Remember, Washington chose cabinet members from different sections of country and from different political views.) Was Jackson a monarchist or stepping toward democracy?
ISSUE 3: INDIAN REMOVAL AND TRAIL OF TEARS
EVENT: Why did Jackson (in his own words) feel that Indian Removal would help Indians? In other words, what did Jackson argue would happen to tribes if the United States did not get involved?
CARTOON: Jackson forced Indians to move west in the “Indian Removal Act.” Why might some argue he is a “terrorist?”
DECIDE: Is Jackson a monarchist or “champion for democracy” when dealing with Indians?
ISSUE 4: BANK OF THE U.S. (BUS)
EVENT: What did Jefferson think of a federal bank? What did Jackson do to the bank?
CARTOON: Why did some think Jackson was fighting a “moneyed monster?”
DECIDE: Is Jackson a Champion of Democracy or a Monarchist?
ISSUE 5: SPECIES CIRCULAR
EVENT: What is species? Why did Jackson want species not paper money? What happened when Jackson required species to be used to purchase land?
CARTOON: Why did the banker get surprised by the silver dollar or why was the silver dollar in the form of a ghost?
DECIDE: Is he a Champion of Democracy or a Monarchist?
ISSUE 6: Tariffs and NULLIFICATION CRISIS
EVENT: Why did the tariff help the north but hurt the south? What did the south do to protest the tariff? What did Jackson do in retaliation?
CARTOON: Why would someone compare Jackson to a king or to Napolean?
DECIDE: Is he a Champion of Democracy or a Monarchist?
ISSUE 1: THE INAUGURAL BASH
When Andrew Jackson won the election in 1828 (despite some calling him a donkey), he allowed anyone to visit the White House. He believed all people had the right to participate in government. He believed all people were intelligent (after all, Jackson himself grew up in a poor family and did not attend college). Because Jackson invited all visitors into the White House, the streets of Washington were crowded. There were so many people in the White House that they leaped on the furniture and broke dishes just to get a glimpse or peak at Andrew Jackson. One man named George Bancroft (1831) described the horror of this event!
…[B]oys of all ages, men not civilized enough to [remove] their hats…gather[ed] around the doors..pouncing…tearing the cake…all fellows with dirty faces and dirty manners…
Another anonymous witness to the party said, “What a pity! What a pity!...[N]o police officers on duty, and the whole house…[filled] by the mob…”
Andrew Jackson's crowded inaugural reception - Painting by Louis S. Glanzman, 1960
ISSUE 2: TO THE VICTOR GO THE SPOILS
As soon as Andrew Jackson got in office, he fired many Federalists and hired his own friends and other Democrats. Jackson felt this was a normal part of rotating one party to another, but eventually critics call it the Spoils System; this meant that government officials rewarded their friends or supporters with jobs. One senator who supported Jackson said, “To the victor go the spoils,” which meant that the winner should get the prize.
ISSUE 3: INDIAN REMOVAL AND TRAIL OF TEARS
Andrew Jackson felt the Indians would live better and be protected from traveling Americans if they were pushed west of the Mississippi River. He said,
By persuasion and force [the Indians] have been made to retire from river to river and from mountain to mountain, until some of the tribes have become extinct and others have left but remnants to preserve for awhile their once terrible names...Humanity and national honor demand that every effort should be made to avert so great a calamity." -- President Andrew Jackson, 1829
Even though John Marshall established in Cherokee vs. Georgia (1832) that the state could NOT tell Indians what to do; only the federal government could. Even thought Marshall said this Andrew Jackson still forced the Cherokee out of their homelands and onto the “Trail of Tears,” which is said to have killed thousands of Cherokee.
ISSUE 4: BANK OF THE U.S. (BUS)
The Federal government owned the Bank of the United States (BUS); this bank kept the government’s money and also printed money for the country. Like other Democratics, Andrew Jackson feared the bank could get too much power. Jackson hated that the Federalists used the Elastic or Necessary and Proper Clause to create the bank. In his opinion, the Constitution did NOT allow for the government to have a bank. He thought (like Jefferson) that states could control money and banks. In 1833, Jackson vetoed a bill to continue the Second National Bank. He ended the government’s control of the bank! He gave private banks in different states all of the government’s money. ALL OF THE GOVERNMENT’S MONEY! Jackson believed he was carrying out the “will of the people.” Jackson argued that it was the people of the U.S. who wanted to destroy the bank and distribute funds and power to the states. He thought he was killing the “moneyed monster” or the rich and wealthy people who are abusing the power of the bank. While many Americans believed Jackson was spreading the wealth, some thought he was abusing his powers as president and hurting the country’s business and economy.
ISSUE 5: SPECIES CIRCULAR
Jackson also signed another bill into law in 1837 called the Species Circular. Jackson wanted to decrease the use of federal notes and have people use actual metal that had worth, rather than pieces of paper that said “1,000 dollars.” Jackson said that only money coins (species) or silver and gold could be used to buy land. This did decrease the amount of paper money in supply, but it also decreased the number of coins as the value and desire for coins increased. Americans attempted to trade their paper money for silver and gold and many banks ran out of species or money coins.
This partly contributed to the Panic of 1837.
(Cartoon) Caricature of a banker…THE GHOST OF THE SILVER DOLLAR or THE BANKER’S SURPRISE
ISSUE 6: Tariffs and NULLIFICATION CRISIS
The British tried to sell wool to the United States at cheaper prices than American products. This made the north upset, because their goods were more expensive and did not sell. The north was able to convince Congress to pass a tariff on foreign goods. The tax made goods more expensive overall – now British goods were as much as the northern goods, protecting northern prices. While the Tariff of 1828 really helped the north make money, the south (who was mostly agricultural) had to pay more for manufactured goods. They felt that the great burden of this tariff fell on them, as they consumed, but did not produce, manufactured articles. In retaliation, Great Britain made their own tariff on southern cotton. This was the south’s number one product. With prices in Britain being high, less people bought cotton and the south suffered more. Southerners called the tariff an “Abomination” or disgrace! How could the government pass a law that helped one part of the country yet hurt another? This fueled the divide between north and south. Southerners felt they were paying all this extra money and while they grew poor, the north grew fat.
John C. Calhoun was Andrew Jackson’s vice president and while they were both “War Hawks” and Democrats during the War of 1812, they really disagreed on the tariff issue. Calhoun represented the south and felt that the people and their farms were being neglected. The south tried to urge Congress to stop the tariffs, but a higher tariff was placed in 1832. Calhoun then urged the people of South Carolina to pass the Ordinance of Nullification on November 24, 1832. They said Congress is pretending to tax foreign imports as they usually have, “but in reality, intend…[to]…protect…” the north only. Calhoun felt states had the right to ignore and nullify laws of the federal government. Andrew Jackson felt the government had the right to tax and therefore felt states should follow. Jackson felt he, as president, could enforce the laws. Congress almost passed a “FORCE BILL,” which would allow Jackson to use military force and require all states to pay the taxes. Calhoun argued states and people should have power, while Jackson argued the government should rule. Eventually congress slightly lowered the tariff, so violence was avoided – at least for now.
KING ANDREW?? OR NAPOLEAN?
Many thought Jackson acted like a monarch; He
abused his presidential powers
and trampled on the Constitution and
judiciary branch. Some even compared him to Napolean.
IS JACKSON…
A CHAMPION OF DEMOCRACY
OR
A CHAMPION OF MONARCHY?
Using what you read, describe whether or not Andrew Jackson fought for the people. You can argue he did fight for the people OR you can argue that he acted like a MONARCHIST (king) and only protected the people sometimes. Complete the chart. Include definitions and explanations of the following terms and make sure to say whether or not each TERM proves Jackson was a CHAMPION for DEMOCRACY or MONARCH and why
EVENTExplain what happened
(Define event/issue) / CARTOON/PAINTING…
(Phrase to describe cartoon and/or how Jackson is perceived and why) / DECIDE: CHAMPION FOR DEMOCRACY? Or MONARCHIST?
1. What happened at Andrew Jackson’s inaugural reception (List 5 things people do; how do they act?) Why did this happen? /
Jackson wanted the “people to rule” – how does painting reveal this?
2. Explain the SPOILS SYSTEM
3. Explain the INDIAN REMOVAL ACT /
Why might some argue Jackson is a “terrorist?”
EVENT
What happened?
(Define event/issue) / CARTOON/PAINTING…
(Phrase to describe cartoon and/or how Jackson is perceived and why) / DECIDE: CHAMPION FOR DEMOCRACY? Or MONARCHIST?
4. FEDERAL BANK OF THE US (BUS)
What did Jefferson think of a federal bank of the US?
What did Jackson do to the bank? / Why did some think Jackson was fighting a “moneyed monster?”
5. What is species?
Why did Jackson want species and not paper money?
What happened when Jackson required species to be used to purchase land? /
Why was the silver dollar in the form of a ghost?
6. STATES’ RIGHTS/
NULLIFICATION
Why did the tariff help the north but hurt the south?
What did the south do to protest the tariff?
What did Jackson do in retaliation? /
Why would someone compare Jackson to a king or to Napoleon?