Jackson and Van Buren

                                                                                      

Jackson’s Indian Plan

• Creeks moved 1815-1819 under Jackson’s direction (before presidency)

• Natives were in the way of westward expansion.• How do we solve the problem?• Assimilate, move or destroy.

Cherokee’s move toward accommodation.• Settled agriculture and private land ownership.

• Sequoyah: devised Cherokee alphabet.

• Slave owners.

• Some will actually fight for the Confederacy.

Jackson v. Marshall

Jackson wants to open Indian lands to white settlement.

• 1830 Indian Removal Act: uprooted over 100,000 Indians. Sent them west (ARK/OK)

Worcester v.. Georgia. (1833)• “John Marshall has made his decision, now let

him enforce it.”• Implications?

Trail of Tears

• Forced removal of the Cherokee to Oklahoma…4000 dead

• Some flee to the Smokie Mountains of Tennessee and form the Eastern Band of the Cherokees.

Seminoles• Costliest Indian campaign.

Never completely defeated.

800 mile forced march

Texas

• Mexico wins independence from Spain.

• Remember the Florida for Texas swap?

• Stephen Austin. Awarded land for settlement. Settlers to be Catholic and pledge allegiance to the Mexican gov’t.

The big issue:

• Slavery. Mexico emancipated their slaves in 1830

Thirteen days of Glory

• “I shall never surrender nor retreat… Victory or Death!”

William Barrett Travis

• Battle of San Jacinto: Sam Houston surprises Santa Anna.

• 1836. The Lone Star Republic is born

The US and Texas

Why wouldn’t the US want to annex Texas immediately?

• Slavery! :(

• Puts Texas in a precarious position.

“Whigging” out

• Formed as an anti-Jackson force.Supporters:• Supporters of Clay’s American System.• Southern state’s righters.• Larger Northern industrialists and

merchants.• Many evangelical Protestants associated

with the Anti-Masonic party.

Election of 1836

• Martin Van Buren wins the presidency in a very close popular vote.

• Hurt politically by the Panic of 37.

Jackson’s legacy

Plus

• Bolstered the power of the executive branch.

• Led the common people into national politics.

• United them into the Democratic party.

• Proved that the common man could be trusted with the vote.

Minus

• Encouragement of the spoils system.

• Treatment of the BUS.

• Treatment of Native Americans.

Odds and ends:

• First assassination attempt.

• First insanity plea.

Election of 1840

• Tippacanoe (and Tyler too) v Old Kinderhook

• Log Cabins and Hard Cider

• Emergence of the Whigs