Antebellum America

1
Antebellum America

• Politics, Economics, and Society 1820-1860

2
Politics
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Corrupt Bargain of 1824

• Move to universal male suffrage
• Four Republicans split the vote and no one got
  a majority of the electoral college vote
• By the 12th amendment, it went to a vote of the
  House of Reps.
• Former candidate Clay was Speaker of the House
  and did not want Jackson or ailing Crawford to
  win--threw support to John Quincy Adams
• Clay was then appointed Secretary of State
• Tarnished reputations of both men

4
John Quincy Adams

• Spent many years as a respected diplomat
• Lacked the personal touch, though
• Urged build up of roads, national universities,
  observatories
• Ideas were not popular with states rights
  advocates
• Criticism starts early and continues throughout
  his presidency although most of claims were
  fabricated by Jackson supporters

5
Andrew Jackson

• Representative of the rough-and-tumble west
• Had lived a hard life
• Allowed commoners into his government
• Commanded fear and respect-vetoed laws and often
  ignored the Supreme Court
• Spoils system--rewarded supporters with
  government positions

6
Tariff of Abominations

• Wool manufactures in NE wanted higher tariffs
• 1828-Jackson tried to make Adams look bad by
  allowing 45 tariff to pass
• South complained that it just raised their prices
• John C. Calhoun calls for nullification of the
  tariff by the states (only SC supported)
• Tariff of 1832- lowered tariff some
• Bloody Bill--gave president right to use army
  and navy to collect tariffs

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Trail of Tears

• Indians pushed off lands as states
  formed--supposed to sign official treaties
• Some groups tried to assimilate and Christianize
  them
• Jackson passes the Indian Removal Act to transfer
  Cherokee groups to Oklahoma
• Established the Bureau of Indian Affairs
• Put down Seminole uprisings in Florida

8
Bank War

• Jackson believed the Bank of the United States
  was a conspiracy against the common man--tool to
  make the rich richer
• BUS was trying to reign in wildcat western
  banks that printed paper money and speculated on
  land
• Henry Clay tried to end Jacksons popularity by
  trying to renew the BUS charter it passes by
  Jackson vetos it (even though Marshall says it is
  legal)
• Jackson began removing funds to drain wealth
• Sends economic system into a tailspin

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Anti-Masonic Party

• New party develops against establishment of the
  Masons
• Aligned with Jacksons views, but anti-Jackson
• Supported by church members that wanted reform
• First time parties had National Conventions
• Clay lands his third loss

10
Two Party System

• A wide group assembled in opposition to King
  Andrew
• Called themselves the Whigs--hoped to split votes
  and send election to House of Reps
• Jackson put forward Martin van Buren
• Whigs were too disorganized in 1836

11
Martin Van Buren

• Inherited bank mess from Jackson
• Supported the Divorce Bill to remove banking
  from US government
• Beginning of independent treasury

12
Texas

• Stephen Austin made deal with Mexico to bring in
  settlers--become Mexican, become Catholic, and no
  slavery
• In the early 1830s, tensions rise between
  settlers and the Mexican government
• Santa Ana raises an army and Texas declares
  independence
• Series of battles at the Alamo and Goliad
• US supported Texas, but it did not join the union
  because of the slavery issue

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Election of 1840

• Tippecanoe and Tyler, too!
• William Harrison is put forward because of lack
  of enemies
• Characterized as a poor farmer from Ohio
  drinking hard cider--not really true
• Movement away from aristocratic national
  leadership
• Democrats liberty of individual, states rights,
  from South and West, poorer folk
• Whigs valued harmony between community and
  individual, from East, wealthier, wanted internal
  improvements, public schools and moral reforms

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Economics
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Societal Trends

• Urban growth continued as settlers left for the
  West
• Millions of immigrants came from Ireland and
  Germany
• Irish vs. German immigrants
• Antiforeignism rises nativists fear Catholicism
  challenging Protestantism
• The Know-Nothing Party

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Discuss What were the five most important
inventions of this time period?
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Transporation

• Erie Canal Song (watch video clip)
• John Henry (by John Jackson)
• When John Henry was a little baby boy, sitting on
  the his papa's knee
• Well he picked up a hammer and little piece of
  steel
• Said Hammer's gonna be the death of me, lord,
  lord
• Hammer's gonna be the death of mine
• The captain said to John Henry
• I'm gonna bring that steam drill around
• I'm gonna bring that sterm drill out on the job
• I'm gonna whup that steel on down
• Shenandoah

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Society
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Discuss How did the role of women change?
20
Compare the following American art pieces
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Topics for Presentation

• Second Great Awakening
• Public Education
• Temperance Movement
• Utopian Societies
• Scientific Achievements
• Artistic Contributions
• Literature and Transcendentalism