ANDREW JACKSON

OLD HICKORY

Andrew
Jackson
easily won
the election
of 1828. We
can explain
his success
in three
ways.

Supporters of
Andrew Jackson,
outraged at his loss in
the 1824 election due
to the corrupt
bargain vowed to
get him elected in
1828.

3. America shifted its voter qualifications

between 1824 and 1828 making things much
more democratic.

Jacksonian Politics
- A profound increase in democratic participation.
- White male suffrage increased
- Party nominating committees. People of the party
pick their candidates.
- Voters chose their states slate of Presidential
electors.
- Popular campaigning (parades, rallies, floats, etc.)
- Two-party system returned, inspiring people to
rally behind their party and get involved in the
political process.

Jackson and the

"Common Man"
- He possessed an intense
distrust of the Eastern
establishment, of
monopolies, & special
privilege.
-His heart & soul was with
the plain folk. Good
American farmers were his
chosen people.
- He believed that the
common man was capable
of uncommon
achievements.

Jackson's Coalition
- Jackson actually had a
broader base of support
than just farmers.
- The Planter Elite in the
South
- People on the Frontier
- State Politicians who
hoped for $ and jobs from
the national govt.
- Immigrants in the cities.

The Bank
of the
United States
(BUS)

By 1830, the 2nd BUS, which was created as a part of

the American System, played an important role in the
nations economy controlling the nations gold and
silver supply, and issuing stable paper currency.

Bank War
- The Bank was a private
institution that held great
power over the public.
- It was controlled by the
wealthy and was designed to
serve their interests, not the
interests of the common
man.
- Jackson believed the Bank
to be unconstitutional even
though the Supreme Court
said otherwise in McCulloch
v. Maryland.

Bank War
- With his electoral
triumph behind him,
Jackson set out to
destroy the BUS for
good.
- With its charter set
to expire in 1836,
Jackson decided to
kill the Bank in 1833
by removing all
federal money from
its vaults.

Bank War
- Jackson took that
money and placed
it in so called pet
or wildcat banks.
- These banks
flooded the nation
with paper money,
paper that was not
nearly as stable as
paper money
issued by the BUS.

Bank War
- The Bank was a private
institution that held great
power over the public.
- It was controlled by the
wealthy and was designed to
serve their interests, not the
interests of the common
man.
- Jackson believed the Bank
to be unconstitutional even
though the Supreme Court
said otherwise in McCulloch
v. Maryland.

With the BUS gone, a key element of stability in the

American economy disappeared. Paper money
grew increasingly worthless, and the economy was
on shaky ground as a result.

To add to the problem, the wildcat banks

began to make risky loans to land
speculators. When some people began to
default on their loans, the crisis intensified.

- To help shore up the

economy, and halt the trade
of worthless paper money,
Jackson took action.
- In 1836 he issued the
Specie Circular that required
public land out West be
purchased in hard currency
only. No more paper money
would be accepted by the
government.
- This was a drastic step as it
hurt the very common man
Jackson professed to
support.