Andrew Jackson and Indian Removal

• in 1828, Indian Removal was a key campaign promise for Jackson

  • especially Creeks, Choctaws, Chickasaws, Cherokees, and Seminoles in the Southeast

  • about 60,000 people total

  • occupied prime cotton land

• 1830, Congress passed the Indian Removal Act

  • strong resistance by Native people and white allies

  • Jackson portrayed removal as voluntary and protective of Native people

  • in practice, thousands died in forced removals

Jackson and The “Bank War”

• Jackson blamed the Second Bank of the United States (BUS) for the panic of 1819

  • not an important campaign issue

  • personal for Jackson

• Jackson starts battle of egos with the BUS president Nicholas Biddle

  • debates and attacks in public and print

• 1832 (election year) Congress renewed BUS charter early

• Jackson vetoed, but old charter was good through 1836

• Jackson kept attacking

  • ordered the cabinet to stop depositing federal money in BUS

  • switched to selected state banks instead, “pet banks”

• sparked controversy:

  • supporters: defending the poor against the rich

  • opponents: abuse of power, threat to private property, class conflict

Legacies of the Bank War

• probably hurt the economy more than helped

• many leaders left the Democratic Party

• helped push opponents to organize the Whig Party