Andrew Jackson vs. John C. Calhoun

In 1830, a tariff was placed on imported goods to America.   This additional tax increased the price of products coming to the United States from Europe.  Lawmakers who wrote and approved of the tax were hoping to protect Northern factories and businesses.   Companies from places like Lowell were competing against companies from England in the textile market.

   For a plantation owner or a yeoman farmer in the South the tariff was an economic burden.  Goods from Great Britain were typically cheaper then American made products.  A farmer could enter a store and purchase a pair of shoes from England that would cost them (i'm making this number up) $1.00 while shoes from Lynn would cost him $2.00.  Once the tariff was in place, the shoes from Britain would end up costing more money then the shoes that were made in the U.S. These protective tariffs would force people from the South to buy goods that were made in the North.  Many Southerners objected to the tax because it was costing them to pay more.

   Britain is going to respond to the American tariff with a tariff of their own.  They place a tax on American goods that were being imported to Great Britain.  These goods included: rice, tobacco, flour, cotton, sugar, and indigo.  All goods that were being grown in the American South.  Once that tax was put in place many British companies started to not purchase goods from America, choosing to buy products from China, Egypt, and India.  American farmers of the South were now hurt by falling prices in their exports in addition to high prices for manufactured goods. 

   Vice-President John C. Calhoun was against the tariff and called for the federal government to remove the tariff.   Jackson and Calhoun had some heated exchanges regarding the tax.  Calhoun would resign the following year and travel back to South Carolina to help lawmakers there plan on handling the issue.  Calhoun would find his answer to the crisis by seeing how other states had responded to unpopular federal law. 

      His answer was the  Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions.  During the Presidency of John Adams, the Alien and Sedition Act were passed.  Both of these laws were criticized for being unfair and unconstitutional.  Thomas Jefferson and James Madison drafted a resolution for Virginia and Kentucky which said that a state had the right to cancel a federal law that was unfair.  Since the Alien and Sedition Act were never brought to the Supreme Court, nobody really knew what the answer was.  Calhoun felt that the V and K Resolutions were a precedent for other states to follow.

    Lawmakers met in Colombia South Carolina and voted to not pay the tariff.  Soon other state representatives were being asked by people from South Carolina if they would consider joining South Carolina in breaking away from the Union.  

   Washington D.C. was filled with talk of Civil War.  Jackson began to meet with military advisors to see what would be the best way to defeat South Carolina if they withdrew from the Union.  Jackson let in be known publicly that he would not let South Carolina leave the Union.  To Jackson the country was not a league, with each state a member that can choose to leave whenever it wanted to.  "The Constitution forms a government, not a league." 

   Ultimately Jackson would win over Calhoun on the issue of Nullification.  South Carolina eventually backed down, and Congress voted to lower the tariff shortly after.  Calhoun would  serve in the Senate until the 1850s becoming a symbol of state's rights.  For Jackson the victory would increase his popularity and have him earn high marks with historians decades after his death.  The issue over state's rights would not go away however. 

"The Bank is trying to kill me, but I will kill it!"

    American industrialization occurred during the time of Andrew Jackson.  For the first time in American history skilled artisans and workers were being replaced by machines.  Some Americans began to distrust corporations and saw them as a threat to the American way of life. 

   Like others of his time Jackson distrusted banks.  Jackson and many others did not appreciate or understand how banks worked.  Americans preferred to have gold or silver dollars over paper money.  Gold and silver they understood, dollars were simply green paper.  The banks represented a threat to their way of life.  Banks denied loans and took away farm lands.  Banks represented the rich people of the East, and was the enemy of the farmer of the South and West. 

   The National Bank of the United States was a powerful institution.  It denied and supplied credit to businesses across the nation.  To President Jackson, the Bank was a center of corruption.  A place where Senators and Congressmen could be bought in exchange for votes and promises of loans for state projects.  Today we would say the Bank was a special interest group, but to Jackson it was a dangerous poison to democracy.  

   When the Bank's charter was up for re-approval, Jackson let it be known that he would veto the Bill and as a result kill the Bank.  The charter passed both the House and the Senate, but when it came to Jackson's desk he vetoed it. 

   Jackson ordered that funds be removed from the National Bank and spread out to various state banks.  Jackson felt that if the money was in state banks it would be more available to the American people.  In the time it took for the funds to leave the National Bank and get to the state banks no federal loan could be accessed.  By the time the Jackson left office, the country was set up to suffer a deep recession. 

    Despite the economic problems that would hit the country, many Americans cheered Jackson's destruction of the Bank.  This action would cement the belief that he was a champion of the American people.

Election of 1828

The election of 1824 ended in controversy.  Although Andrew Jackson had won the popular vote, John Quincy Adams had won the election.

There was a tie in the electoral college between the two candidates. That threw the election to the House of Representatives.  Henry Clay from Kentucky did not trust or like Jackson.  He uses all of his political influence to earn Adams enough votes to win the Presidency.  Months later, Adams appointed Clay to be Secretary of State.  Jackson believed that the two men brokered a deal behind the scenes that cost him the Presidency.

   For the next four years Jackson and his supporters began to campaign for the election of 1828.  Jackson would make appearances in towns and cities across the nation.  Historians consider the election of 1828 the first modern election.  Both candidates had songs, slogans, advertisements, and even went to the people to try and win their vote.

  While Jackson and his supporters focused on his record as a senator and as a general, the supporters of Adams focused on Jackson's personal life.  Jackson was portrayed as over ambitious and not trust worthy.  Rachel Jackon's first marriage and accusations of adultery were brought up.  

   Jackson was a man that many Americans felt like they could relate to.  It showed at the ballots as well.  Adams lost by a landslide, and Jackson was swept into office.  The toll of the campaign and the unwanted attention took a toll on Rachel though.  Shortly after Jackson's victory, she passed away of a heart attack.  Jackson would blame Adams and his followers for the demise of his wife.

  Jackson's Inauguration would be remebered for the raucous and rowdy behavior of his supporters.  Thousands of people showed up at the White House creating chaos for the staff and endangering the life of the President.  Jackson would be escorted out of the White House by some assistants who were concerned for his well being and safety.

The new President sought to protect the rights of his American citizens by destroying what he believed to be the enemy of democracy: The National Bank.

No H.W. tonight.  

President Andrew Jackson

"I was born for a storm, and a calm does not suit me"

                             ~ Andrew Jackson

By the time of his death, Andrew Jackson was one of the most popular Presidents of the United States.  Only George Washington and Thomas Jefferson ranked higher then Jackson.  He was admired by Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, and Harry S. Truman.  

   Yet, he remains one of the most controversial Presidents that our country has had.  During his lifetime he was both admired and despised.  His friends were fiercely loyal and his enemies carried a strong hatred towards him.

 

    Since it was a half day, some of you missed the introduction to Jackson's life.  Tomorrow you will see how he was shaped by the American Revolution, and like many Americans, sought a better life out in the West. 

   His marriage to his wife Rachel was surrounded by controversy that would haunt the couple for the rest of their lives.   When Jackson moved to Nashville Tennessee, he met a young woman named Rachel Donelson Robards.  Rachel was married to a Lewis Robards of Kentucky and stuck in a loveless married.  Jackson courted her, and with the blessing of Rachel's parents the two traveled to Natchez Mississippi, where they eloped.  

    When the two returned to Tennessee, Robards learned of the wedding, and filed for divorce in Kentucky.  When the divorce was finalized, Jackson and Rachel were then re-married in a quiet ceremony in Tennessee.

  Jackson's critics and enemies would accuse Rachel of committing adultery against her husband.  This was a serious accusation during the 18th Century, one that basically condemned Rachel to being labeled a harlot.  During Jackson's time, American women were legally the property of their husbands and it would have been impossible for Rachel to divorce Lewis on her own. The rumors and whispers about Rachel and Jackson would follow the couple for years.  Jackson would fight several duels defending the honor of his Rachel.

On Friday there will be an open notebook test on Life in the South.

Be sure to have the following in your binder:

1.) The notes that you took when the sub was here 

2.) The quiz 

3.) Fit for Freedom and Questions.

4.) Facts about Slavery and Questions

5.) The two handouts (#9) and (#10) from the Florida website. 

Inauguration Day

    Today Barack Obama was sworn in as the 44th President of the United States.  The transfer of power between two different political parties occurred peacefully and like clock work as it had in 1801 when Thomas Jefferson assumer power following John Adams. 

    In class we reflected on the importance of the Inaugural Address.  This speech is to set the tone for the incoming Administration.  For the President, he hopes to inspire the people and not simply state what he wishes to accomplish.   Some speeches are short (Washington's second Address was only 150 words) while others can be lengthy (William Henry Harrison had a speech that was 8,000 words long).  No matter the length, the speeches tend to reflect the times that they were written in.

   Before his Inauguration, President Obama and his staff examined the works of former Presidents looking for inspiration.  In the past months of the campaign he had quoted some of President Kennedy's speeches, someone that he has been compared to in the past.

Here are the quotes that we looked at, as well as what historical event was occurring during that President's time in power. 

"You have nothing to fear, but fear itself"  

        ~ Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

F.D.R. assumed power during the Great Depression, when 25% of the workforce was unemployed.  His goal was to have the American people regain confidence in the government.

"Malice towards none, charity for all"

       ~ Abraham Lincoln

This quote is from Lincoln's second address.  The Civil War was nearing an end, and many Northern politicians wanted the leaders of the Confederacy to be punished.  Lincoln preached forgiveness towards the former enemies of the Union.  Lincoln would not live to see his ideas of tolerance carried out, he would be assassinated a few weeks after his speech. 

"Let every nation know, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty"

                                  ~  John F. Kennedy

Kennedy's speech was delivered during the height of the Cold War.  Tensions were very high between the Soviet Union and the United States, many feared a nuclear war between the two nations.   During the campaign of 1960, Kennedy was criticized for being soft against communism.  He sought to silence his critics and send a message to the world.

"the national nightmare is over"

         ~ Gerald Ford

Ford became President following the resignation of Richard Nixon.  Many people in the country were fed up with politics and how the members of the U.S. government had acted in the months leading up to the resignation.  Ford was hoping that the country would heal and then move on.

You have all witnessed history today.  Portions of President Obama's speech will be studied by students years from now and you had the ability live through it.

Daily Lives of Slaves

   Yesterday we looked at how the Plantation Class in the South viewed the way women were expected to act.  The quotes that we read in class dealt with what was expected of a woman.  Women were expected to be fickle, weak, and indecisive.  Men would find these traits to be very appealing, and want to settle down with them

     The roles of mother, care taker, and hostess were all expected from these women.  Since they enjoyed large amounts of wealth and were assisted by slaves and servants, these women could enjoy the luxury of not working and remaining at home.  

  Some questions to consider:

~How would the wives and daughters of plantation owners view the wives and daughters of Yeomen farmers?

~ What was considered to be "lady like" and "unlady like" behavior?

~ Why did women from the North have different standards then the Southern women?

I apologize for the confusion about the fable due date.  For those that went today, thank you very much for sharing your stories with the class.  You all did a good job of showing the values of a culture much different from your own.

   For today as well as tomorrow we will be using a website designed by High School students from Florida to teach about slavery.  http://cghs.dade.k12.fl.us/slavery/index.html has been used by numerous teachers for lessons on life in the Antebellum South.  Some of you have completed the first 6 questions on the Introduction and have started analyzing the sections on punishment, health, housing, and family.  By writing down questions and answers for these topics you will be taking very efficient notes. 

   Tomorrow we explore other aspects of slave life.

Moral Lessons

Language, customs, culture, religion, and beliefs all get passed down from one generation to the next in a society.  These lessons are integral to the survival of a civilization.

   Before written languages many stories and lessons were told by different members of a society.  These oral histories often included valuable moral teachings.  Some stories told by the Ancient Greeks and Romans are still known today.  The Illiad, Aenied, and The Odyssey are still studied and read today. 

     Fables were often told to teach a valuable lesson.  Aesop's Fables have been around since the days of the Ancient Greeks.  "The Boy Who Cried Wolf", "Mouse and the Lion", and "A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing" are some of the tales that have been around for over a thousand years.  These stories have taught children valuable messages across the world. 

   During the 20th Century, fables and lessons were taught to generations of children through movies.  Walt Disney brought one of the oldest fairy tales to the big screen in the 1930s with Snow White.  Since then stories have been rewritten to be set in modern times to appeal to audiences today.  Meet the Robinsons, The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, and Monsters Inc. are just some examples of how movies can have an important message for their audience. 

   Tomorrow we will look how slaves used fables to teach their children a lesson. 

Fit for Freedom

The reading on Friday went into detail about the day-to-day life of the slaves.  Some slaves were assigned to work the fields of the plantation while a small group tended to the house. 

  For the slaves working in the fields their lives revolved around the cash crop.  On average they worked between 10-14 hours a day, and during harvest time, 18 hours. Plantation owners hired drivers and handlers to ensure that the slaves worked their hardest.  Drivers were sometimes poor whites and even slaves.  Fellow slaves would whip and punish other slaves to make sure that the slaves met their quota.

   For the slaves that worked in the house, the labor was less strenuous but more stressful then working in the fields.  With the planter's family constantly present in the house, slaves were careful to make sure that they did the best job possible.  Some of the tasks that they needed to fulfill were: tending to the fire, cleaning, cooking,  gardening, making candles, making butter, and helping raise the children of their owners. 

  Today's reading has to deal with how slaves resisted their masters.  These tactics vary from running away to stealing food.  Many owners had fierce repercussions for slaves that were caught breaking the rules.  Despite the threats of whipping and mutilation, many slaves chose to disobey their owners. 

Today will be one of the last readings for awhile I promise.

Yeomen Farmers

A student today called them the Yo man farmers, which is just wrong.

The origin is still debated but most likely comes from a combination of Old English terms and German terms which literally meant "man of the district" or countrymen.

   The Yeomen farmers made up the majority of the population of the American South.  These independent land owners took great pride in their social status.  They believed in the ideas of Thomas Jefferson, and identified with his idea of a nation of farmers. 

   The Yeomen were denied access to the best land in the South.  They land that they owned often tended to be rocky or not as rich in nutrients as the land that belonged to the plantation owners.  Some of the Yeomen were able to afford a few slaves to work the land.  Often times the farmers would work alongside their slaves in the field.  This action of the races working together was looked down upon by the plantation owners. 

  Since space was limited the yeomen grew corn, wheat, and vegetables.  They were mainly subsistence farmers, which meant they grew just enough for themselves then sold the surplus food.  There was not enough land to have a successful cotton crop for the yeomen.  They also would not have been able to gather the cotton for harvest without a large number of slaves.  Pigs were the preferred livestock because they did not need alot of land to graze. 

   

  According to the authors the concept of racism was created by the upper class in the South as a political tool to suppress the yeomen.  The planters and the yeomen had little in common.  Racial beliefs united the two classes against the slaves and free African Americans.  This ensured that the poor whites and the blacks would not unite against the rich plantation owners.

    

     For H.W. make sure you read the handout on the life of slaves and answer the five questions.