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Ch. 13 Subsection Summaries (22 sections in the chapter)

The document outlines key events and developments in American politics from the 1824 election to the formation of the two-party system by 1840. It discusses the rise of Andrew Jackson, the controversies surrounding his presidency, including the Tariff of Abominations and the Indian Removal Act, as well as the emergence of the Whig Party in opposition to Jackson. The narrative highlights the shift towards mass democracy and the changing political landscape during this period.

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3 views

Ch. 13 Subsection Summaries (22 sections in the chapter)

The document outlines key events and developments in American politics from the 1824 election to the formation of the two-party system by 1840. It discusses the rise of Andrew Jackson, the controversies surrounding his presidency, including the Tariff of Abominations and the Indian Removal Act, as well as the emergence of the Whig Party in opposition to Jackson. The narrative highlights the shift towards mass democracy and the changing political landscape during this period.

Uploaded by

14606
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Ch.

13 Subsection Summaries: The Rise of a Mass Democracy

1. The “Corrupt Bargain” of 1824


In the election of 1824, the vote for president came down to Andrew Jackson, with
popular support, and John Quincy Adams, but thanks to the support of Henry Clay,
speaker of the House and later Secretary of State, Adams won, but some claimed Clay
had entered a “corrupt bargain” with Adams to win.
2. A Yankee Misfit in the White House
Adams, with a bad reputation in office, refused to put his supporters in office (trying to
keep good people in his cabinet) and attempted to establish a university and
observatory, therefore losing all support from both sides.
3. Going “Whole Hog” for Jackson in 1828
Both Jackson and Adams supporters were slandering the opponents’ candidate, but
when the election in 1828 came, Jackson won the presidency, 178 electoral votes to 83.
4. “Old Hickory” as President
Jackson faced many hardships in life (was orphaned early) and grew up fighting instead
of studying, and on the day he took office, many of his people swarmed the White
House, only dispersing after a rumor was spread.
5. The Spoils System
The spoils system was essentially a system where old government officials were
replaced by loyal (to the new party) new officials who weren’t necessarily competant.
6. The Tricky “Tariff of Abominations”
Andrew Jackson decided to try and pass the Tariff of Abominations (which raised tariff
rates super high), and expected it to fail, but it passed, so the South, the only region
negatively affected by the tariff, protested and called for state nullification of the tariff.
7. Thinking Globally: Alexis de Tocqueville on Democracy in
America and Europe
Tocqueville analyzed American democracy as a primary fact, equality among people,
having two outcomes for the future of America, either tyranny of the majority would
become common, or radical individualism would be bred, although many factors prevent
those grim outcomes.
8. “Nullies” in South Carolina
The Nullification Crisis ensued, both South Carolina Nullies (who nullified the tariff and
threatening to take itself out of the Union) and Andrew Jackson were about to go to war,
but Henry Clay negotiated the compromise Tariff of 1833 (to lower tariff rates) and made
the Force Bill (allowing president to use army to get bills).
9. The Trail of Tears
Indians tried to stop white expansion, while other Indians tried to assimilate into US
society (Five Civilized Tribes), but Jackson issued the Indian Removal Act in 1830,
forcing Indians east of the Mississippi to move west and march along the “Trail of
Tears”.
10. The Bank War
The Bank War erupted in 1832 when Henry Clay pushed a bill to renew the Bank of US’
charter and was vetoed (Jackson thought that the Bank of US was harmful), which
meant Jackson proclaimed presidency > Congress, Clay was happy with the results but
failed to see Jackson’s growing popularity.
11. “Old Hickory” Wallops Clay in 1832
The election of 1832 had many new developments, like the founding of the
Anti-Masonic Party, national nominating conventions, and formal platoons, and although
Clay had more money than Jackson, Jackson beat Clay, 219 electoral votes to 49.
12. Burying Biddle’s Bank
Jackson drained the Bank of the US dry of its money, but without a central bank to
manage finances, the US fell into financial trouble and paper money became useless
with the Specie Circular.
13. The Birth of the Whigs
The Whigs were formed in opposition to Jackson’s party (now the Democrats) and
consisted of many groups alienated by Jackson.
14. The Election of 1836
Martin Van Buren, thanks to the support of Jackson and the Whigs’ inability to select a
single presidential candidate, won the election of 1836 and became president.
15. Big Woes for the “Little Magician”
Although Van Buren was pretty smart, he inherited Jackson’s enemies and problems (of
the government), like the economic depression, without his popularity, leading to 4 hard
years of work.
16. Depression Doldrums and the Independent Treasury
The panic of 1837 was an economic crisis, worsened by the collapse of British banks,
American banks were closing everywhere, but Van Buren decided to separate the
government from the bank with the “Divorce Bill”, which wasn’t very popular.
17. Gone to Texas
Stephen Austin negotiated with the Mexicans to bring many Americans into Texas to
become Mexicanized, but the Texans were stubbornly Americans (didn’t liberate their
slaves) and Mexico (led by Santa Anna) eventually declared war on them.
18. The Lone Star Rebellion
At first, the Texans lost ground at the battle of Alamo and Goliad, but thanks to
Washington's support, the war turned around and Mexico gave up Texas, and Texas,
with popular support, became a state, although its admittance as a slave state raised
issues with the North.
19. Makers of America: Mexican or Texican?
Moses Austin made a deal with Mexico to bring American settlers to Texas (later carried
out by Stephen Austin), mainly made up of Scots-Irish illiterate people, and tried to
assimilate into Mexican culture, but the Mexican government was too pushy, so the
settlers rebelled.
20. Log Cabins and Hard Cider of 1840
Using tactics similar to the ones Democrats used to get Andrew Jackson elected, the
Whigs got William Henry Harrison (issueless and enemyless) and his VP John Tyler
elected for president, beating the Democrats’ Martin Van Buren.
21. Politics for the People
The election of 1840 showed a change from aristocracy to democracy, candidates had
to appeal to the masses (and they had an advantage if they looked poor) instead of the
wealthy.
22. The Two-Party System
The election of 1840 marked the official formation of the Democratic and Whig parties,
starting the eternal two-party system, where both parties had their ideologies and had to
appeal to the masses.

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