Answer Key Chapter Jacksonian Democracy, 1820–1840

Answer Key Chapter: Jacksonian Democracy, 1820–1840 1. Which group saw an expansion of their voting rights in the early nineteenth century? a. free Black people b. non-property-owning men c. women d. Native Americans 2. What was the lasting impact of the Bucktail Republican Party in New York? a. They implemented universal suffrage. b. They pushed for the expansion of the canal system. c. They elevated Martin Van Buren to the national political stage. d. They changed state election laws from an appointee system to a system of open elections. 3. Who won the popular vote in the election of 1824? a. Andrew Jackson b. Martin Van Buren c. Henry Clay d. John Quincy Adams 4. Why did Andrew Jackson and his supporters consider the election of John Quincy Adams to be a “corrupt bargain”? 5. Who stood to gain from the Tariff of Abominations, and who expected to lose by it? 6. What was the actual result of Jackson’s policy of “rotation in office”? a. an end to corruption in Washington b. a replacement of Adams’s political loyalists with Jackson’s political loyalists c. the filling of government posts with officials the people chose themselves d. the creation of the Kitchen Cabinet 7. The election of 1828 brought in the first presidency of which political party? a. the Democrats b. the Democratic-Republicans c. the Republicans d. the Bucktails 8. What were the planks of Andrew Jackson’s campaign platform in 1828? 9. What was the significance of the Petticoat affair? 10. South Carolina threatened to nullify which federal act? a. the abolition of slavery b. the expansion of the transportation infrastructure c. the protective tariff on imported goods d. the rotation in office that expelled several federal officers 11. How did President Jackson respond to Congress’s re-chartering of the Second Bank of the United States? a. He vetoed it. b. He gave states the right to implement it or not. c. He signed it into law. d. He wrote a counterproposal. 12. Why did the Second Bank of the United States make such an inviting target for President Jackson? 13. What were the philosophies and policies of the new Whig Party? 14. How did most White people in the United States view Native Americans in the 1820s? a. as savages b. as being in touch with nature c. as enslaved people d. as shamans 15. The 1830 Indian Removal Act is best understood as ________. a. an example of President Jackson forcing Congress to pursue an unpopular policy b. an illustration of the widespread hatred of Native Americans during the Age of Jackson c. an example of laws designed to integrate Native Americans into American life d. an effort to deprive the Cherokee of their enslaved property 16. What was the Trail of Tears? 17. The winner of the 1840 election was ________. a. a Democrat b. a Democratic-Republican c. an Anti-Federalist d. a Whig 18. Which of the following did not characterize political changes in the 1830s? a. higher voter participation b. increasing political power of free Black voters c. stronger partisan ties d. political battles between Whigs and Democrats 19. How did Alexis de Tocqueville react to his visit to the United States? What impressed and what worried him? Critical Thinking Questions 20. What were some of the social and cultural beliefs that became widespread during the Age of Jackson? What lay behind these beliefs, and do you observe any of them in American culture today? 21. Were the political changes of the early nineteenth century positive or negative? Explain your opinion. 22. If you were defending the Cherokee and other native nations before the U.S. Supreme Court in the 1830s, what arguments would you make? If you were supporting Native American removal, what arguments would you make? 23. How did depictions of Native Americans in popular culture help to sway popular opinion? Does modern popular culture continue to wield this kind of power over us? Why or why not? Does Alexis de Tocqueville’s argument about the tyranny of the majority reflect American democracy today? Provide examples to support your answer. Answer Key 1. b. non-property-owning men 2. c. They elevated Martin Van Buren to the national political stage. 3. a. Andrew Jackson 4. Andrew Jackson and his supporters considered the election of John Quincy Adams to be a "corrupt bargain" because Adams was awarded the presidency despite not winning the popular vote or a majority of the electoral votes. It was perceived that Adams made a deal with Henry Clay, who was the Speaker of the House at the time, to secure the presidency. 5. Northern manufacturers stood to gain from the Tariff of Abominations as it protected their industries from foreign competition by imposing high tariffs on imported goods. Southern agricultural interests, particularly cotton growers, expected to lose because the tariff raised prices on manufactured goods they needed and reduced demand for their exports. 6. b. a replacement of Adams’s political loyalists with Jackson’s political loyalists 7. a. the Democrats 8. Andrew Jackson's campaign platform in 1828 emphasized a commitment to states' rights, opposition to the Second Bank of the United States, and a focus on expanding suffrage to white male citizens. 9. The Petticoat affair was a social scandal involving the wives of members of Andrew Jackson's cabinet. It highlighted divisions within Jackson's administration and led to the resignation of several cabinet members. 10. c. the protective tariff on imported goods 11. a. He vetoed it. 12. President Jackson targeted the Second Bank of the United States because he believed it wielded too much power and favored the interests of wealthy elites over the common people. He also distrusted its president, Nicholas Biddle, whom he saw as an aristocrat. 13. The Whig Party advocated for a strong federal government, internal improvements, protective tariffs, and a national bank. They opposed the expansion of executive power and supported the American System proposed by Henry Clay. 14. a. as savages 15. b. an illustration of the widespread hatred of Native Americans during the Age of Jackson 16. The Trail of Tears refers to the forced relocation of Native American tribes, particularly the Cherokee, from their ancestral lands in the southeastern United States to designated Indian Territory west of the Mississippi River. It resulted in the deaths of thousands of Native Americans due to disease, starvation, and exposure. 17. d. a Whig 18. b. increasing political power of free Black voters 19. Alexis de Tocqueville was impressed by the spirit of equality and democracy in the United States, as well as the vibrancy of its civil society. However, he also expressed concerns about the potential tyranny of the majority and the erosion of individual liberties in a democratic society. Critical Thinking Questions 20. During the Age of Jackson, widespread beliefs in manifest destiny, rugged individualism, and the self-made man became prevalent. These beliefs were fueled by westward expansion, economic opportunities, and a desire for social mobility. While these beliefs contributed to American optimism and entrepreneurship, they also justified the exploitation of Native Americans, the subjugation of women and minorities, and the perpetuation of slavery. Some of these beliefs still resonate in American culture today, particularly notions of individualism and the pursuit of success. 21. The political changes of the early nineteenth century had both positive and negative aspects. On the positive side, they expanded suffrage to a broader segment of the population, strengthened democratic institutions, and facilitated westward expansion and economic growth. However, these changes also led to the displacement and mistreatment of Native Americans, the perpetuation of slavery, and increased sectional tensions that eventually culminated in the Civil War. 22. If defending the Cherokee and other Native nations before the U.S. Supreme Court in the 1830s, arguments might include the violation of treaty rights, the sovereignty of tribal governments, and the immorality of forced removal. If supporting Native American removal, arguments might include the need for westward expansion, the perceived "civilizing" influence of assimilation, and the economic benefits of acquiring valuable land for settlement and agriculture. 23. Depictions of Native Americans in popular culture often reinforced stereotypes and promoted the narrative of westward expansion and Manifest Destiny. They portrayed Native Americans as either noble savages or obstacles to progress, shaping public opinion and justifying government policies of removal and assimilation. While modern popular culture continues to depict Native Americans, there is a greater awareness of diversity and a more critical examination of historical representations and stereotypes. However, popular culture still has the power to shape perceptions and influence attitudes toward marginalized groups. 24. Alexis de Tocqueville's argument about the tyranny of the majority reflects certain aspects of American democracy today, particularly in the context of majoritarian politics and the potential for the majority to impose its will on minority groups. Examples include the suppression of minority rights, gerrymandering, and voter suppression tactics. However, American democracy also includes mechanisms such as the separation of powers, checks and balances, and the protection of individual rights through the Constitution, which serve as safeguards against the tyranny of the majority.