Democratic Politics 1820-1829

Who can’t vote?The other 10% males (usually landless poor)

WomenSlavesFree blacks

Between the 1790’s – 1820’s

Universal Manhood suffrage Eliminating religious

qualifications lowering or abolishing

property qualifications Vermont (1791) Kentucky (1792) Tennessee (1796) Indiana (1816) Illinois (1818) Missouri (1821)

About 90% of white males can now vote!

Universal Manhood Suffrage

Voting Requirements in the Early 19th century

•White male suffrage increased•Led to•Party nominating committees/conventions (state level)•Voters chose Presidential electors•Popular political personalities as leaders•Popular campaigning (parades, rallies, floats, etc.)•Caucuses•Party platforms•1824 = last single party election•By 1832 two parties:•Democrats•National Republicans (later Whigs)

A New Two Party System

Election of 1824

Five CandidatesSecretary of State John Quincy Adams (Massachusetts)Secretary of War John C. Calhoun (South Carolina)Secretary of Treasury William H. Crawford (Georgia)Speaker of the House Henry Clay (Kentucky)Senator Andrew Jackson (Tennessee)

4 way race (Calhoun drops out)

Who is President?Twelfth Amendment• The person having the greatest

Number of votes for President, shall be the President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed; and if no person have such majority, then from the persons having the highest numbers not exceeding three on the list of those voted for as President, the House of Representatives shall choose immediately, by ballot, the President. But in choosing the President, the votes shall be taken by states, the representation from each state having one vote . . .

John Quincy Adams• 108,740 popular votes (31%)• 84 electoral votes (32%)William H. Crawford• 46,618 popular votes (13%)• 41 electoral votes (16%) • Had a stroke; was out of the race

Henry Clay • 47,136 popular votes (13%)• 37 electoral votes (14%)Andrew Jackson• 153,544 popular votes (43%)• 99 electoral votes (38%)

Election of 1824

President up to the House of RepresentativesEach state = one voteHenry Clay was Speaker•Didn’t like JacksonClay convinced New England and Ohio valley to support AdamsAdams is President; Clay Secretary of StateCorrupt Bargain?

Henry Clay and the “Corrupt Bargain”

“Stolen” Election?

John Quincy Adams: “Like Father, Like Son?”

Very few goals met• Some: Adams “too

aristocratic”• Adams: “above politics”• Some: Adams supported

monied interests (Hamilton?)• Jackson: friends in Congress

who refused support of Adams

• Some internal improvements • National road

Goals• Protective tariffs• Internal improvements•National bank•National university in Washington D.C.•Western exploration• Standard weights and measures (metric)•National observatory

Adams Presidency

Adams proposed “reform”• Increase tariffs on imports• Increase tariffs on raw materials•Reduced British imports •South: less cotton to Britain•Hurt southern economy

Tariff of 1828 or theTariff of Abominations

Adams supported tribal treaties•Georgia got Creek land•Adams and Georgia Governor George Troup argued over jurisdiction

Georgia threatened violenceAdams backed down

Continued Southern issues

John Quincy Adams

Andrew JacksonDemocratic-Republican Party (Democrats)•Broad support (South, Chesapeake, Mid-Atlantic, west)•“Common Man”•Against NE financiers

National Republican Party•support in NE•“Corrupt Bargain”•Out of touch?

Election of 1828

Election of 1828