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CHAPTER 10
The Jacksonian Era, 1828–1840
This chapter focuses on the controversies of Jackson’s presidency and the emergence of a new party
system. It narrates and explains his Indian policy, the nullification controversy, and the bank war. The
rivalry between Jackson and John C. Calhoun is outlined, as is the growing gulf between supporters of
federal rights and those of states’ rights. The chapter goes on to discuss Jackson’s rivalry with Nicolas
CHAPTER OUTLINE
I. Jacksonian Democracy
A. Political Democracy
B. Anti-Democratic Forces
C. Democracy Unleashed
II. Jackson as President
A. The Eaton Affair
B. The Maysville Road Veto
D. The Bank War
i. The Recharter Effort
III. Nullification
A. Calhoun and the Tariff
B. Clash of Titans—Webster versus Hayne
C. Calhoun versus Jackson
VI. War over the B.U.S.
A. Biddle’s Response
B. The New Whig Party
C. Killing the B.U.S.
D. The Money Question
E. Censoring the Mail
F. The Election of 1836
LECTURE IDEAS
1. A general overview of the nature and character of Andrew Jackson will develop the theme for the rest
of this chapter. A topic of much debate has been whether and, if so, how he changed after becoming
president. Did he lose connection with the common man and succumb to the temptations of power? Or
was he simply managing the existing political forces of his era? Suggested sources include:
2. Give each group in your class a specific issue related to the Jackson administration—for example,
the nullification crisis, the bank, or Native American relations—and have them research and present
the issue to the class. See the following sources:
• Robert V. Remini’s The Legacy of Andrew Jackson (1988)
3. A lecture on the Peggy Eaton affair will not only illuminate political intrigue during Jackson’s first term
but also cast valuable light on the status of women in Jacksonian America. What sort of fates befell
4. Lecture on the split between the Democratic and Whig parties and the realignment of the political
party system in America during the Jacksonian Era. Chart the major differences between the parties.
Suggested sources include:
5. Develop a lecture on the presidency of Martin Van Buren, especially in light of the fact that Andrew
Jackson handpicked him to be president. Then survey his administration by reviewing both his domestic
6. One of the most interesting ways to illustrate the rise of the second two-party system is to give a
lecture on Davy Crockett’s career in national politics in the early 1830s, as he was recruited by the
Whigs to provide a Western alternative to Andrew Jackson. William Davis’s Three Roads to the Alamo:
IN-CLASS ACTIVITIES
1. Much like Thomas Jefferson’s election, Andrew Jackson’s election was considered a revolution. Why?
2. This activity focuses on the constitutionality of the Indian Removal Act (1830). Begin by explaining
Jackson’s position versus that of the Supreme Court, as outlined in the cases brought by the
3. When South Carolina declared a federal law to be null and void, Jackson responded strongly. Examine
his response to the nullification controversy and how South Carolina reacted to his position. See
William Freehling’s Prelude to Civil War: The Nullification Controversy in South Carolina, 1816–1836
4. Why did a new party system of Democrats and Whigs emerge out of Jackson’s election to the
presidency? Richard P. McCormick’s The Second American Party System: Party Formation in the
5. Why did a new party system of Whigs and Democrats emerge out of Jackson’s election to the
presidency? Richard P. McCormick’s The Second American Party System: Party Formation in the
Jacksonian Era (1966) covers the system’s development. Michael F. Holt’s The Rise and Fall of the
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. How did Jackson’s early life shape his political ideas and values?
2. What were some of the ways Native Americans were treated as foreigners in their own land during the
Jacksonian era? Your answer should include specific examples based on their treatment by Congress,
3. The Tariff of 1828 proved to be the impetus behind the entire nullification controversy. Examine the
process that brought this about. Was the tariff only the pretext, as Jackson himself declared?
4. The Peggy Eaton affair divided Jackson’s cabinet. Discuss the events in question, paying particular
attention to Jackson’s handling of them.
7. Why did President Jackson veto the recharter of the Second Bank of the United States?
8. Most commonly, it is President Jackson who is associated with Indian removal. In what ways did
Martin van Buren also contribute to the Indian removal campaign and the Trail of Tears?
PRACTICING CITIZENSHIP
This chapter details the dramatic upsurge in voting that was symptomatic of what scholars have
traditionally termed “Jacksonian democracy.” Do some work that increases political participation in your
own community. Contact a local political party, campaign, or nonpartisan organization such as the League
of Women Voters and volunteer for a few hours doing voter registration. What did you learn about the
