Chapter 10 - Democracy in America

Chapter 10 - Democracy in America Give me Liberty! An american history, Eric Foner 5th edition

Review questions

Focus questions

1. What were the social bases for the flourishing democracy of the early mid-nineteenth century ?

1. What global changes prompter the Monroe Doctrine ? What were its key provisions ? How does it show America's growing international presence ?

2. What efforts were made in the period to strenghten the economic integration of the nation, and what major crises hindered these efforts ?

2. How did Andrew Jackson represent the major developments of the era :Westward movement, market revolution and the expansion of democracy for some alongside the limits on it for others ?

3. What were the major areas of conflict between nationalism and sectionalism ?

3. How did the expansion of white male democracy run counter to the ideals of the founders, who believed government should be sheltered from excessive influence by ordinary people?

4. In what ways did Andrew Jackson embody the contradictions of democratic nationalism?

4. What were the components of the American system, and how were they designed to promote the national economy under the guidance of the federal government

5. How did the Bank War influence the economy and party competition ?

5.How did the Missouri Compromise and the nullification crisis demonstrate increasing setional competition and disagreements over slavery ?

6. According to Martin van Buren, why were political parties a desirable element of public life ?What did he do to build the party system ?

7. What were the major economic, humanitarian, political, and social arguments for and against Indian removal?

8. What were the key issues that devided the Democratic and Whig parties ? Where did each party stand on those issues ?

9. Explain the causes and effects of the Panic of 1837.

Eric Foner

Focus question - 2

What efforts were made in the period to strenghten the economic intergration of the nation, and what major crises hindered these efforts ?

The American System was created in 1812, it was a political program by Henry Clay to ensure economic growth. The plan rested on 3 pillars :

- a national bank (the Second Bank of the U.S)- a tariff on imported goods to protect the American industry ⤷ tariff of 1816 - a federal financing of improved roads and canals

Clay Henry

=> The second Bank brought the economic grew, thanks to the help to finance manufacturing and commerce + extending loans to farmers for the purchase of lands, tools, consumer goods, in the south slaves

Despite all the efforts to strenghten the economic intergration, the U.S faced major crises :

The National Bank

People resented it ⤷ because they often printed far more money than the specie in their vaults => it caused the value of paper money to stay inconsistent

The Panic of 1819

people who suffered from the economic crisis begged the state and national government for help or assistance. Even if many states helped them by suspending the collection of depts, many claimed bankrutcy and enemployment was increasing => it caused a very bad reputation to the 2nd Bank

The Missouri Controversy (1819-1821)

In 1820, sectional tensions were growing over the issue of slavery. In the U.S, Congress passed a law that admitted Missouri to the Union as a slave state and Maine as a free State, while banning slavery from the remaining Lousiana Purchase lands located north of the 36° 30' parallel)It marked the beginning of the prolonged sectional conflict over the extension of slavery that led to the American Civil War

Map of the United States that denotes free and slave states as well as the territory open to slavery or freedom

Focus question - 3

What were the major areas of conflict between nationalism and sectionalism ?

• The Latin American wars of independance (1810-1822)

- Spanish empire dissolved into nations : Too vast => no common sense of nationhood.- They borrowed the declaration of independance of USA + ability for NA and free blacks to vote. - USA : First country to recognize them. - Spanish empire wants to take back its colonies => USA apply the Monroe Doctrine.

• The Monroe Doctrine

1. USA no colonization by European in Americas2. USA no involvement into affairs/wars of Europe 3. USA want no interference between European and Latin America states All of this reflects a rising sense of nationalism (it speaks for the whole country)

• The election of 1824

- Andrew Jackson had the national support- Henry Clay was eliminated => he supported John Quincy Adams - Jackson's supporters were calling that the "corrupt bargain"

• The John Quincy Adams' nationalism

- He supported the american system- He hoped USA to cover North America - Federal government should direct/sponsor internal improvements - Promote agriculture, commerce, manufacturing, arts - National university, astronomical observatory, naval academy "Liberty is power !", Adams answered to americans having thought the governmental authority = threat to freedom. According to him : The freer the nation is, the stronger it is.

John Quincy Adams (1767-1848), 6th president of USA

To participate in politics => national sense of identityBUT for those who did not have this right = exclusion

focus question- 4

In what ways did Andrew Jackson embody the contradictions of democratic nationalism?

Nationalism

Democracy

In the 1820’s, the States adopted more and more the Universal suffrage for white men and Andrew Jackson encouraged it when he came to power. During the era of Andrew Jackson, the voter turnout increased considerably.

He threated South Carolina with a war because South Carolina was opposed to the policy adopted by Washington. Cancel Washington’s decision raised fears of a break-up of the Union.

Andrew Jackson promotes the territorial expansion of the United States and considered that the American settlers must seize all the cultivable lands even lands which were to the Native American tribes. This decision led to the “Indian removal Act".

His policy is marked by the rise of the press.

Spoils System : he dismissed all the high officials of his party to replace them with men of his entourage, loyal to him.

Review question - 1

What global changes prompter the Monroe Doctrine ? What were its key provisions ? How does it show America's growing international presence ?

• The Latin American wars of independance (1810-1822)

⤷ it resumed into the collapse of Spain and Portugal's empires in America and the recognition of the new Latin American republics

John Adams feared that spaid would make future attempt to regain its Latin American colonies and restore colonial regimes

=> The Monroe Doctrine = a declaration that the U.S had the right to refuse European expansion into the Western Hemisphere

James Monroe also known for the Monroe Doctrine (1821)

• Its key provisions were to ensure his independance

⤷ It warned European powers not to attempt colonisation or any other interaction in the western hemisphere otherwise it would be seen as hostile

• A distinction between the Old World and the New world

⤷ They wanted to distinct the Old world and the New world but also divise them as two different spheres of influence

- The U.S = the Dominant Power of the Western Hemisphere- Growing nationalism - Its aim was the economic development with the American commerce through the world (hoping that the U.S could assume Britain's economic role in Latin America) - promoting agriculture. commerce, creation of a national university

Review question - 1

What global changes prompter the Monroe Doctrine ? What were its key provisions ? How does it show America's growing international presence ?

• The Latin American wars of independance (1810-1822)

⤷ it resumed into the collapse of Spain and Portugal's empires in America and the recognition of the new Latin American republics

John Adams feared that spaid would make future attempt to regain its Latin American colonies and restore colonial regimes

=> The Monroe Doctrine = a declaration that the U.S had the right to refuse European expansion into the Western Hemisphere

James Monroe also known for the Monroe Doctrine (1821)

• Its key provisions were to ensure his independance

⤷ It warned European powers not to attempt colonisation or any other interaction in the western hemisphere otherwise it would be seen as hostile

• A distinction between the Old World and the New world

⤷ They wanted to distinct the Old world and the New world but also divise them as two different spheres of influence

- The U.S = the Dominant Power of the Western Hemisphere- Growing nationalism - Its aim was the economic development with the American commerce through the world (hoping that the U.S could assume Britain's economic role in Latin America) - promoting agriculture. commerce, creation of a national university

Review question - 2

How did Andrew Jackson represent the major developments of the era :Westward movement, market revolution and the expansion of democracy for some alongside the limits on it for others ?

- Westward movement : Jackson signed the Indian Removal (Trail of Tears)- Market revolution : Widening gap according to democrats, caused by the "nonproducers". Jackson decided to don't support this social class anymore => A help for the "producing classes" (some will vote for them later) - Expansion of democracy : Proliferation of newspapers about politics such as "Politics" (From 90 newspapers to 400 in 40 years were published). Encourage people to be politically active and present on election day. The number of voters : multiplied by 7

Andrew Jackson (1767-1845),7th president of USA

review question - 3

How did the expansion of white male democracy run counter to the ideals of the founders, who believed government should be sheltered from excessive influence by ordinary people?

Because of the expansion of white male democracy, two categories of people were set aside: women and black people.

Women : The men believed that in the society, the role of women was inside the home.

Black people : White men think that black people were stupid, dishonest and ridiculous.

According to the principle of universal suffrage, white males of age constituted the political nation. It means that only white men are the nation, excluding women and black people. The government also didn’t allow black people to serve in state militias and the Army, to testify or sue in court or attend public school.

Review question - 5

How did the Missouri Compromise and the nullification crisis demonstrate increasing sectional competition and disagreements over slavery ?

The Missouri Compromise opposed the Tallmadge's restriction which was supported by most northern congress men and not by the southern representatives and was proposed by senator Jesse Thomas Of Illinois and adopted by Congress in 1820

The Missouri Compromise : - Missouri would be authorized to draft a constitution without Tallmadge's restriction - Main (prohibited slavery) would be admitted to the Union to maintain the sectional balance between free and slave states - Slavery would be prohibited in all remaining territory within the Louisiana Purchase noth of Latitude 30° 30'

James Tallmadge Jr. also known for the Tallmadge restriction

Tallmadge restriction was an opponent of slavery in response to the debate concerning the admission of Missouri as a state (its slave population was over 10 000) ⤷ it imposed conditions to end legal slavery and help the emancipation of current slaves

Jesse Thomas of Illinois also known for the Missouri Compromise

The nullification crisis was a US sectional political crisis of 1832 during the presidency of Andrew Jackson

- a confrontation between the state of South Carolina and the federal government (1832-33) What happened ? Tariffs heightened sectional tensions because they raised prices on manufactured goods : - it benefits the domestic manufacturing industry in the north - it was bad for southern slaveholders This crisis was driven by John Calhoun : he opposed the federal oppositions of the tariffs of 1829 and 1832 => argued that the US Constitution gave states the right to block the enforcement of a federal law

John Calhoun, south carolina polician

Novembre 24 1832 : adoption of the Ordinance of Nullification by the state convention

The ordinance of Nullification declared that the Tariffs were unconstitutionnals and nonbinding in the state

Review question - 6

According to Martin van Buren, why were political parties a desirable element of public life ?What did he do to build the party system ?

According to Van Buren : - Parties aren't divisive, they increase political involvement- Wide range of choices (meaning a wide range of opinions and more debates) - The goal is : guarantee the constitutional principles & not fall in special interests (that divide us)

- He contributed to a two-party system : Jacksonian democrats vs Whigs (then eventuallyDemocrats vs Republicans) Reform the Jeffersonian alliance between South and North.

Martin van Buren (1782-1862), 8th president of USA

review question - 7

What were the major economic, humanitarian, political, and social arguments for and against Indian removal?

For Indian removal

Due to an increase in cotton production, farmers needed more land for their plantation so they wanted the land of Indians. The court proclaimed : -that the land didn’t belong to Indian: they just had a “right of occupancy” -Indian people had lived as nomads and hunters and not as farmers

Against Indian removal

Indian people were a distinct people who had the right to conserve their land and their political identity. It was unethical to just remove Indian from American society.

Review question - 9

Explain the causes and effects of the Panic of 1837

The Panic of 1837 was a financial crisis in the US

⤷ it was caused by the previous speculative boom and collapsed in New-York when the banks refused paper money (soft money) and only accepted gold and silver (hard money)

1836 : authorization of the removal of federal funds in its vault to place them in local banks⤷ state banks were also called "Pet banks"

2 secretaries refused to put money in the state bank because it was written in the law that government funda could not be removed except for a good cause=> without gouvernment deposits, the Bank of the US lost its ability to regulate the activities of state bank => result : they issued more and more paper money => price rose dramatrically : $10 million in 1833 ⤷ $149 million in 1837 => But they failed to keep pace

People learned the importance of finding a balance between a strong national bank and strong state banks.

The whole nation felt the effects of the panic:

- prices fell by 25% in the 1st year - a lot of businesses failed- many farmers lost their lands- ten of thousands of urban workers lost their jobs

Key terms

The Dorr War (1841-1842) : an armed uprising in Rhode Island led by Thomas Wilson Dorr to change the state's electoral system ⤷ page 367

Webster-Hayne debate ⤷ page 392

Democracy in America ⤷ page 367

Nulification crisis ⤷ page 392

Franchise ⤷ page 372

Force Act ⤷ page 393

American System ⤷ page 373

Indian Removal Act ⤷ page 393

Tariff of 1816 ⤷ page 374

Worcester v. Georgia ⤷ page 394

Franchise ⤷ page 372

Trail of Tears ⤷ page 395

McCulloch v. Maryland ⤷ page 376

Bank War ⤷ page 397

Era of Good Feelings ⤷ page 377

Soft money and hard money ⤷ page 398

Missouri Compromise ⤷ page 377

Pet banks ⤷ page 399

Monroe Doctrine ⤷ page 381

Panic of 1837 ⤷ page 399

Spoils system ⤷ page 388

Tariff of abominations ⤷ page 391

Exposition and Protest ⤷ page 391

Chronology

1811 - Bank of the United States charter expires1816 - Second bank of the United States establishes 1817 - Inauguration of James Monroe 1819 - Panic of 1919 McCulloch v. Maryland 1820 - Missouri Compromise 1823 - Monroe Doctrine 1825 - Inauguration of John Quincy Adams 1828 - "Tariffs of abominations" 1829 - Inauguration of Andrew Jackson 1830 - Indian Removal Act 1831 - Cherokee Nation v. Georgia 1832 - Nullification Crisis Worcester v. Georgia 1833 - Force Act

1835 - Tocqueville's Democracy in America1835-1842 - Second Seminole War 1837 - Inauguration of Martin Van Buren 1837-1843 - Panic of 1837 and ensuing depression 1838-1839 - Trial of Tears 1841 - Inauguration of William Henry Harrison Dorr War