Evaluating President Jackson

   As we close out the unit of Andrew Jackson it is time to evaluate the former President.  We have looked at Jackson's life prior to becoming President as well as his accomplishments in office. You are to decide if the President deserves to be on the $20.00 bill. 

Goal: Practice writing essays with clear thesis and strong evidence.

 

Directions: Write a 1-1.5 page essay answering the following questions:

 

What criteria (rules) should the treasury use to decide who should be on our currency? Using this criteria, should Andrew Jackson be on our $20 bill? Why or Why not?

 

Due Dates:

 

Thinking Map due Monday (for periods 1,6,7)

Essay writing IN CLASS Tuesday and Wednesday

 

Hints:

 

·      Your opening paragraph should name the criteria. The last sentence should be your thesis about whether Jackson does or does not fit.

·      Each other paragraph should take one aspect of your definition and show how Jackson does or doesn’t fit the definition.

·      You should use your Video notes,  PPT notes, and IRA stuff for info.

·      You should give as specific examples of what Jackson did as possible to prove your point

·      Use regular essay rules (no “I”, pass tense when describing Jackson’s actions)

·      You need a conclusion with summary and an attempt at final thought.

 

Ways to go above and beyond:

·      Finding quotes-from Jackson himself or from historians about Jackson to help

·      If you choose not to put Jackson on the twenty, discussing who might be a better choice.

Doing research above what I've given you on Jackson. 

**I have some quotes if you would like to use them, just ask me before class.**

Tips, Advice, and some Guidance

     After two days of using the laptop and meeting with the groups it is time to clarify your thoughts, questions, and opening statements.  6th and 7th Periods do not meet tomorrow, so you have to make any sort of corrections on your own.   There is a wealth of information out there, the problem is sifting through all of it to find something that you can use.  

   If you are a Plantation Owner, or a member of the Jackson Administration you are for the Indian Removal Act and you want the Senate to pass it.  The Missionaries, Cherokees, and Seminole are all trying to have the Bill killed as soon as possible.  Each group feels that they are right, and are fighting for the protection of their homes and rights.

   One Thursday, January 28th, all groups will begin the Senate Hearing on the issue of Indian Removal.  Each group will be responsible for presenting the Senate with facts and data that will persuade each of the voters.  Every group will have to defend their position as well as questioning the opposition. 

   

   Some tips that might help you in your research:

Cherokee: 

Give the Senate examples of how well you have assimilated.  Maybe present yourself as an American name instead of your Cherokee name. (Address the crown as Nicholas instead of Sequoia)

1. Treaty of Hopewell when was it signed?  What did it promise?

2. You have a Constitution, are you American citizens?  Would America do this to Canada?

3. How much have you assimilated?  Who asked you to assimilate?

4. Have you ever been West of the Mississippi?

5. What was your relationship with Jackson prior to him becoming President. 

Jackson's Administration.

Your boss is very passionate about this particular issue. The President knows that he has the support of the American people behind him.   He has ordered you to address the Senate about the urgent need to get this Bill passed.

1. When were the treaties signed?

2. Who can use this land?

3. How will the nation benefit?

4. Are any tribes a threat to the security of the nation?

5. What is the job of the American government?

Plantation Owners.

1. Poor farmers and yeomen will also be able to use this land

2. This land has already been developed.  (there are crops and fields)

3. The land belongs to the state of Georgia

4. Indians are getting their own new land with taxpayers money

5. Seminole have been attacking your farms and plantations for years

6. Florida could be vital land

Missionaries.

For years some of you have been living and working with the Cherokee of Georgia.  Your goal is to prove to the Senate that they have assimilated and are not a threat to the people of Georgia.

1. How well have they assimilated to the American culture?

2. Has white culture been promoted?

3. Has religion spread?*

4. Does this Bill benefit the South?

5. What could happen to the Native Americans once they leave

*To an American in the 1830s the baptism of a Native American was vital to their soul.  The spread of Protestant beliefs was widely encouraged during this timer period.  "The Second Great Awakening"

Seminole.

Your argument is very similar to the Cherokees.

1. Focus on legal issues

2. How long have you lived there?

3. What will happen to your culture

4. Talk about your relationship with Jackson prior to the Bill

Ladies and Gentleman this assignment can be outstanding and the highlight of the year, it has potential.  The more work you put into this, the more you will get out of it.

email if you have questions or agada

Research, Review, Revise

      Today is the last day that the laptops will be in the class. Tomorrow groups will get a chance to meet with their allies and practice interrogations.  By the end of today, the Opening Statements should be in rough draft form and the majority of the questions have been written. You want to gather as much information as you can between today and the debate so that your group is prepared to answer any questions that might come their way.   

Here are some more links that might be helpful:

A history of Black Seminole Culture 

A Florida website on the Seminoles 

Portions of the Indian Removal Act

An Account of Indian Removal from a Cherokee 

FAQ on the Seminoles 

Important people of the Indian Removal Act

Missionaries with the Cherokee

 A Link to even more links

If you need any help, be sure to ask.

Good luck

Links from last year

Below, you will see a HUGE amount of material that could be incredibly useful as you set out to create your argument for the class debate on the Indian Removal Act of 1830. You are not expected to use all of these reources, but reviewing some might be helpful to your group. Consider having every member look at 1-2 sites, and report back to the group what information might be valuable. 

General Background Documents (many thanks to Mr. Blumer, Ms. Harrigan, and Ms. Karol for their resources)

A collection of all treaties This has the text of every treaty signed with different native american groups from the 1700s to the late 1800's. Obviously , this is more than you need. Look at the Cherokee and Seminole pre-1830, as well as any with the "5 civilized nations". Skim the treaties, looking for patterns you might use in debate. Cherokee Land Maps Maps showing how the Cherokee land changed. Debate Primary Sources: Con These are two speeches against the Indian Removal Act that make a wide variety of arguments. IF you quote from them in your speech, you must reference the orginal speaker. (As Senator Spraque recently said...") Indian removal Summary This is a good summary of the issues, how Jackson felt, and what happened in the end. Read as much as you want. Portions of the Actual Debate this is a transcript of the actual debate in Congress. Skim through it to find actual arguments on both sides. The Actual Text of the Indian Removal Act It is always useful to know exactly what you are speaking for or against!

Cherokee Resources 

A Cherokee view of the Jackson Administration

This article describes why Cherokees disliked Jackson and his policies so much. Read the first 6 paragraphs for stuff related to the simulation, and the rest tells you what happened afterwards if you want to know early. Look for a good Jackson quote here.

Cherokee History

Lots to see on this site, but check out the timeline, and chapters 2 and 3 of the history section in particular. Chapter 3 has some interesting stuff on how the Cherokees helped the US fight Britian in the war of 1812.

Sequoyah: An amazing Cherokee

A site about Sequoyah, who developed a written language for the Cherokee. Definitely helps in the arguments about Cherokees being "civilized".

Treaty of Hopewell-1785

This was the first treaty between the new US government under the Articles of Confederation and the Cherokees. the top splits the treaty into categories. Several sections have interesting promises, especially the section that defines boundaries.

Black Seminole Resources  Black Seminole Names To be authentic, pick a name Black Seminoles: A Historical Look A great site to give you background of where Black Seminoles came from and what they did to survive. It has good information about slavery in Seminole culture, too. Stop at the section called "the Indian territory", as it is past what we are doing in the simulation. Seminole History-in their own words... This is from the seminole tribe of Florida. Jackston Administration Resources  Jackson's Dec 1830 Speech to Congress Very valuable resource- this is Andrew Jackson in his own words explaining why he thinks the Indian Removal is a needed thing for the US and a good things for Indians too. It is tough reading, but you can get a lot from it if you are careful. Names of Jackson's cabinet A great place to get authentic names for your roleplay of the Jackson administration. Missionaries/Reformers Click on the links to get more info, but here are 4 important reformers that you might want to see what you might Google to see if there are good quotes, ideas or info Important People  Samuel Worcester was a missionary who worked with the Cherokee. He organized protests against Jackson's decision to remove Native Americans from land that would otherwise be used by plantation owners. As a result, he was arrested and sentenced to four years' imprisonment for violating a law that forbade white men from living with Native Americans. When the Cherokee left, he went with them and established the Park Hill Mission, an important institution in "Indian Territory". Elias Boudinot was a Cherokee educated in mission schools. He served as the editor of the Cherokee Phoenix, a newspaper. During this time, he wrote a number of editorials about the Native American removal. Sophia Sawyer was an educator who taught in Cherokee mission schools. She founded the Fayetteville Female Seminary. At one point she broke a Georgia law against teaching Cherokee-owned black slaves, but escaped arrest by saying she was on Native American land and would only obey their laws. Theodore Frelinghuysen was an American senator. He led the opposition against the Indian Removal Act and gave a six-hour speech on the matter, ending with the warning: "Let us beware how, by oppressive encroachments upon the sacred privleges of our Indian neighbors, we minister to the agonies of future remorse."  A missionary's editorials against IRA There are editorials written by Elias Boudinot. Read the background and anything before 1830. All else happened after the IRA was voted on. You can skim that, but have to be careful not to use specific events that had not happened yet! Bio of Sophia Sawyer Not tons of info here, but a quick read that gives you a sense of what type of people Missionaries/Reformers were. Senator F's speech about Indian removal This is the actual speech that the Senator gave about Indian removal. This link is hard, but SUPER useful. Skim it.. the first bit is about how he tried to change the language of the law, so that is not as important. The site notes when the speech itself starts. You can use ideas from it, but if you use quotes, you need to refer to him. ("As the esteemed gentleman from NJ said....") Southern Plantations Owners/Farmers Committee on Indian Affairs report: Pro This is the testimony of Senator Robert Adams talking about why he thinks removal is legal and beneficial. Georgia Background Read only the first paragraph of this link. If you think creatively, there are 1-2 ways this information may be useful to help Pro-georgia people make a case. North Georgia Gold Rush This link describes the Gold Rush in northern Georgia. It will help you make an argument that controlling this land would help Georgia and perhaps the whole nation. short letter about how good the land is... nice quote from a Southerner about how great the cherokee land is from growing cotton. Views of Southern Plantation Owners This is about the georgia gold rush, and had a solid summary of how planatation owners fel

Links for Indian Removal Act

On Friday we officially began preparing for the Indian Removal Simulation. The goal of the Jackson Administration and the Plantation Owners and Farmers is to prove that it is an absolute necessity to remove the Cherokee and the Seminoles from their land. The Missionaries, Cherokee, and Seminoles want to prove that the tribes deserve the right to stay on their land.

On Monday there will be more time allocated for the groups to work on framing their arguments and opening statements. I highly recommended that you use as many sources as you can when it comes to gathering your evidence. The quality of your work depends on how much effort you put into this.
For the people responsible for asking the questions you might want to consider the various tactics and strategies that people use when questioning an individual on trial. The questions towards your opponents is going to be different then the questions towards your enemies. Hopefully a scenario like this could be avoided.
Ms. Harrigan has acquired various links regarding the Indian Removal Act. If you want to access them click here.
Best of luck to you

Quiz Checklist

Make sure you have the following in your notebook for the quiz.

1.) The notes from the three days we watched the video on Jackson

2.) Your quiz from January 15th

3.) Nullification Notes

4.) Know what a Tariff is

5.) Understand the election of 1824

6.) How did Jackson Kill the Bank and why

7.) How did Jackson increase the authority of the Federal Government

There are 24 questions on the quiz, you need to answer 20.

Good Luck

The Nullification Crisis: Andrew Jackson vs. John C. Calhoun

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.

H.W.

on page 381 Identify: John C. Calhoun, Nullification, and spoils system.

Then answer question number 2

The Election of 1824

On Inauguration Day many Americans were furious. The man being sworn into the office of President did not receive a majority of votes.  To many, he was put into office thanks to behind the scenes deals and a loophole in the Constitution.  The nation seemed on the verge of splitting over the issue.  The opposition began what would become a 4 year period of organizing supporters and getting ready for the election of 1828. Inauguration Day of 1825 would be the beginning of four challenging and frustrating years for President John Quincy Adams. 

  The Presidential election of 1824 was a four-way race with all candidates coming from the Democratic-Republican Party.  The three big candidates during that election where: Senator Andrew Jackson, Secretary of State John Quincy Adams, and Speaker of the House Henry Clay.  Andrew Jackson got the most votes, with John Quincy Adams close behind.  Neither Jackson nor Adams was able to obtain a majority of the electoral college. This meant that the election would be decided in the House of Representatives where Henry Clay had influence.

Henry Clay met with several Congressional delegates and warned them if Jackson won it would be extremely damaging to the United States.  Clay's efforts paid off, and John Quincy Adams was elected by the House of Representatives to be the 6th President of the United States.  

Jackson's supporters cried foul.  They believed that Adams arranged a deal with Clay to ensure him the victory.  Adams denied such charges but strangely enough, Henry Clay was appointed the position of Secretary of State, cementing the belief that Adams and Clay had fixed the outcome of 1824. 

Practice Questions and a Head's Up

Try and answer these questions in preparation for the quiz tomorrow.

1. What Indian tribe assisted Andrew Jackson's forces at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend?

2. What was the name of Andrew Jackson's estate?  How many slaves did he own?

3. What is a Tribune?  

4. What nations claimed the Oregon Territory?

5. ___________ and __________ attacked American settlements in Georgia from hidden bases in Florida.

6. Who are the Jedi of the Oceans?

7. Thomas Jefferson sent ____________ to assist Ambassador ____________ in organizing a deal with France.  The President wanted the politicians to secure the city of  __________. 

When you are finished with the quiz you are to work on the following essay question in class. This assignment is coming from the top, it is grade-wide.  Three 8th grade students will be chosen to read their essay at the assembly.  This is a remarkable opportunity and I wish you all the best of luck.  The final draft of the essay (which needs to be typed) is due by Monday.  This will count as a H.W. assignment for class.

This is your task:

MLK quote for Assembly

 

MLK was an activist trying to create a better world. He once wrote, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."  Write a short response to this quote (no more than a page  and/or something that could be read aloud in 1-2 minutes) reacting to these questions:

 

1.   What do you think this quote means?

2.   If Dr. King were visiting WMS, what do you think he might see as "threats to justice"? In other words, what might he see as areas we need to improve on in  terms equality, fairness, assumptions we make, and how people are treated

as    **Here is a tip from me:

         Think about some of the lessons that Dr. Mikey talked about at the assembly that was earlier in the year.  You might want to build from that.  A quote that might be helpful for you, "Good, like evil isn't born but evolved."  Do your best and be reflective.

T

Checklist for Quiz

For the quiz, be sure to check your notebook for the following:

[] map of the Louisiana Purchase

[] Lewis and Clark questions

[] Lewis and Clark drawings

[] Jefferson's letter(s) to Lewis

[] Notes from the Andrew Jackson Video (#6)

Since this is a new Unit you can clean out your binder of all the materials from Unit 3, Life in the South. 

You will not have the entire period to complete the quiz, so make sure your notes are all in order. 

After the quiz you are going to write a brief essay on who would you choose to be on a piece of currency and why. 

Lewis and Clark

Thomas Jefferson asked fellow Virginian Merriwether Lewis to lead an exhibition to the Louisiana Territory. Lewis then asked his friend and fellow soldier William Clark to help lead the exhibition.  

   Their mission was both scientific and political.  Jefferson wanted the group chart a water route to the Pacific Ocean.  This would allow American merchants to trade with nations in Asia and increase American commerce.  An Amateur scientist himself, Jefferson also ordered the group to catalogue and chronicle the plant and animal life that they encountered on their journey.  Jefferson was curious as to what types of plant and wildlife were native in the Louisiana Territory. The men kept journals of the trip detailing the different species they had seen along the way as well as the climate of the land they journeyed through.  These journals would become helpful for future American farmers that moved into the lands that Lewis and Clark explored.  

Years after the journey was finished, accounts from the journals would be sold telling stories of the land in the American frontier. These encounters would inspire thousands of Americans to seek out new and cheaper land in the newly gained territory. 

   On the political side of the trip, the men had a very important job.  They represented the United States of America whenever they encountered Native American tribes.  They were ambassadors for the U.S.  As representatives of the U.S., they were ordered by the President to try and establish peaceful relationships with the tribes that they met.  Jefferson also wanted the group to gather as much information on the tribes as possible.  These facts would allow Americans to further their understandings of the different native groups in the American West.

   Jefferson wrote various letters to Captain Lewis before he left for his journey.  We looked at two letters today.  One letter was written in June of 1803, the other was written in January of 1804.  He instructed the men on the following: how to behave towards the tribes, what to tell the tribes, and what to ask them.  For each letter you should be able to explain to me the content.  (we made a chart in class). 

   Why did the tone of the letters change?  What was different about the two letters?