Jackson

* 1817 - 1823 known as the Era of Good Feelings

o Federalists wee gone from the political scene and the Democratic Republicans were the ONLY major political party.

* Monroe Doctrine

* Peace and happiness, that is, until the election of 1824

Election of 1824

* Begins the 'Era of Hard Feelings'

o Presidential election of 1824

o Votes along Sectional Lines

o The Deal

Revival of the two party system

* Jackson forms the: DEMOCRATS

o Led by Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren.

o Consisted of small farmers, newly emerging businessmen, and city workers (proletariat).

o Opposed an all-powerful federal government, urged greater democracy, and conformed to Jeffersonian ideals.

* Opposition formed the: NATIONAL REPUBLICANS

o Later called the 'Whigs,' led by Clay, Adams, and later by Daniel Webster.

o Played to the masses, but derived their strength chiefly from well established classes - bankers, merchants, manufacturers, and large landowners.

o Stood for a strong federal government, a national bank, protective tariffs, and favored the interests of business - resembled Hamilton's Federalist Party.

Growth of the Nation 1800-1840 Lecture Notes by Dan Rankin

The Formation of a National Government - Notes from an online history text

* Jefferson's Presidency represented a fundamental shift in direction of the federal government

o wanted a nation of independent farmers not an industrial society --> need to have virtuous, enlightened citizens (education is the key) favored nationwide system of public schools

o limited federal power and granted more authority to states... unimportance of the federal government symbolized by the character of Wash D.C.

o appointed people who would be loyal to his ideas and his presidency

* US began to free itself culturally from Europe religion, art, and literature --> dreamed of huge cultural accomplishments

* Washington Irving (Ichabod Crane, Rip Van Winkle) was the leader of US literary life in the early 18th C.

* Jefferson saw Native Americans as "noble savages"

* Thomas Jefferson tried to eliminate the aura of majesty surrounding the President and became the leader of his party

* Jefferson easily wins second term vs. Charles Pickney - Republicans controlled the executive and legislative but remained suspicious of the judiciary still controlled by the Federalists

* 1801-1829: Jeffersonian Diplomacy - from the US State Department

* Jefferson reversed trends of Washington and Adams

o debt --> reduces the debt by half

o taxes --> abolished internal taxes

o armed forces --> reduced, believed strong navy would promoted overseas commerce (Jefferson was not a pacifist however as he established West Point)

The "Era of Good Feelings"

* reflected a rising spirit of nationalism in the US following the War of 1812

* expansion of the economy, growth of white settlement and trade in the West, the creation of new states - all reflected the rising spirit of nationalism in the US

* The Virginia Dynasty

* End of the first party system (Federalists no longer a challenge to the Republicans)

* Adams-Onis Treaty of 1819 Spain ceded all of Florida to the US and gave up its claim to all territory north of the 42nd parallel in the Pacific Northwest, in return the US gave up its claims to Texas

* The panic of 1819 revived many political dispute that the "era of good feeling" had supposedly settled

* Bank of US started calling in loans, tightening credit, and foreclosing on mortgages which resulted in financial panic and many state bank collapses

* Congress responded to the panic by raising tariff rates

* Six years of depression followed

Jacksonian Democracy

* Andrew Jackson was a frontier aristocrat

* The Age of the Common Man

* Andrew Jackson and his followers were imperfect democrats (slavery, treatment of Indians, economic, social, and gender inequality)

* Jackson believed in forceful presidential leadership, and the supremacy of the Federal government over the individual states

* Jacksonians were aristocrats but not by birth --> wanted to ensure that others could to prominence on the basis of their talents and energies

* Some viewed Jackson's election :"The reign of King 'Mob' seemed triumphant"

* Voting rights extended to all white males

* The party came to be viewed as a desirable part of the political process (this increasing importance of the party started at the state level and spread to the federal level)--- Jackson's followers were called Democrats and their rivals were called Whigs

* Jackson believed in "equal protection and equal benefits" (to all white male citizens and favor no one region of class over another)

* Introduced the "spoils system" which he hoped would eliminate professional bureaucrats --> gave jobs in government to his political friends

* Introduction of the national convention to nominate Presidential candidates which it was hoped would lead to power in the party coming from the people rather that elite political institutions

* Vice President lost Jackson's favor