Elections Of 1824 And 1828

1. Elections of 1824 and
1828
Carrie

2. The Four Main Contenders in 1824
In the Election of 1824 there were four main
candidates:
Andrew Jackson of Tennessee
Hero from New Orleans
Henry Clay of Kentucky
“Harry of the West”
William H. Crawford of Georgia
Able; Giant Man
John Q. Adams of Massachusetts
Intelligent, Experienced

3. The Campaign- Jackson
Jackson had strongest personal appeal,
especially in the west
He campaigned against corruption and
privilege in government.
He polled almost as many popular votes as
his next two rivals combined
However, he failed to win the majority of the
electoral vote.

4. The Election
Despite the fact that Jackson won the popular
vote, he failed to win the majority of the electoral
vote.
In this deadlock of an election, because of Article
12 of the Constitution, the House of
Representatives chose among the top three
candidates.
Clay was first eliminated, however, as the
speaker of the House, he presided over the
choosing of the next president.

5. Clay’s Decision
He reached his choice for president by the
process of elimination.
Crawford, due to a paralytic stroke, was out of
the race.
Clay hated Jackson, his rival for the allegiance of
the west.
Clay and Adams had no personal relations;
however, shortly before the final balloting of the
House, Clay met with Adams and assured
Adams of his support.

6. The New President
On the first ballot, based on Clay’s influence,
Adams was elected president.
A few days later, Henry Clay was announced
as the new Secretary of State.
According to Jackson’s followers, Adams had
bribed Clay with the position, thus winning the
election even though he was the people’s
second choice. (the “Corrupt Bargain”)

7. The Presidential Term
This talk of the “Corrupt Bargain” continued
throughout Adams’ entire term as
president.
There is actually no proof that Clay and
Adams entered into a formal agreement.

8. The Precedent
This election proved that change was coming
for America. What had once been
considered common political practice was
now said to be suspicious, elitist, and
against democracy. The next president
WOULD NOT be chosen behind closed
doors.

9. The Election of 1828
Two major parties:
The National Republicans-- Supported Adams
The Democratic-Republicans– Supported
Jackson
The Jacksonites planted hickory poles
representative of their “hickory-tough” hero
The Adamsites adopted the oak for their
oakenly independent candidate

10. Jackson and His Followers
Jackson’s followers presented him as a
common man.
His followers condemned Adams to be a
corrupt aristocrat.
The maintained that Adams had thwarted
the will of the people with the “Corrupt
Bargain.”

11. The Truth
Jackson was a wealthy farmer, not a
common man.
Adams was not corrupt. If anything, his
morals were too high for the position.

12. The Election of 1828
Jackson’s strongest
support came from the
west and the south.
Adams’ strongest support
came from New England.

The middle states were
divided.
Jackson won with an
electoral vote of 178 to
83.

13. The Precedent
The political center of gravity shifted from the
conservative eastern states to the emerging
states across the mountains.