Ch+8+1824

=__The Return of Partisan Politics__=

By the end of Monroe's second term it would appear that the Era of Good Feelings was coming to an and and party divisions were beginning to return. In 1820 Monroe had run for president unopposed, but in 1824 there were four presidential candidates. The controversy that erupted from this election would taint the next several years in politics and ultimately give rise to the second party system beginning in 1828. The period of one-party rule, which had been celebrated throughout the country, would end up being very short-lived.

=__A "Corrupt Bargain"__=

Four candidates competed for the presidency in 1824. **William Crawford** of Georgia was chosen by the Republican caucus but was not popular among all supporters of the party. Being Secretary of State, **John Quincy Adams** seemed poised to win the presidency, but he himself recognized that he had only limited popular support. The third candidate was **Henry Clay**, then Speaker of the House, who had come to national attention through his support of the American System. The final contender, who would end up playing a pivotal role in the events to follow, was **Andrew Jackson**, the hero of the Battle of New Orleans.

Though Jackson won the majority of popular votes, the results were close enough that the decision had to be taken to the House. Clay was out of the running, but due to his position as Speaker had significant influence over the outcome. Crawford had become very sick, so really the contest was now between Jackson and Adams. Clay ended up supporting Adams which resulted in Adams being appointed the president. Once in office, Adams appointed Clay as his Secretary of State, an action which seemed to place Clay next in line for the presidency and would end up having serious a impact on Adams's presidency.

Jackson's supporters had been angry over the House's decision, feeling that Jackson should have won the election due to his large amount of popular support. But news of Clay's appointment sparked a whole new wave of controversy that would end up haunting Adams for his remaining years as president. People cried that Adams had struck a "corrupt bargain" with Clay in order to win the presidency, and this fact would still be fresh in people's minds by the time of the next presidential election.

The events surrounding the election made it difficult for Adams to get anything done during his term as president. Congress continually blocked his policies, aimed at supporting nationalism, which caused him great frustration. However, what would end up damaging his reputation even further was a new tariff law that he promoted in 1828. Seeking to please New England Manufacturers, Adams supported a higher tariff on a variety of imported goods. The result was not what he intended, though. The majority of Americans disliked the tariff, particularly the Southerners who declared it a "Tariff of Abominations." Adams was fated to an unsuccessful presidency before he even took office, and by 1828 Americans were ready for a change.

=__1828__=

By the time of the election of 1828, a new sort of two-party system had developed based around allegiances to Adams and Jackson. Adams supporters, many of them former Federalists, called themselves National Republicans and supported the traditional themes of nationalism and economic growth. The Jacksonians, who had grown in influence, called themselves the Democratic Republicans and took on a new goal. Jackson became identified as a supporter of the "common man" and his followers sought to challenge the old elite class and widen opportunity. With this goal in mind, Jackson won widespread popular support and recognition.

Jackson won a decisive victory over Adams, but the results of the election were clearly along sectional lines. Adams had won electoral votes in most of the New England states - the old home of the Federalists, while Jackson was more widely supported in areas of the South and West. Nonetheless, Jackson's supporters viewed this to be a groundbreaking victory and hailed his election as the beginning of the "era of the common man." This election created the basis for the second party system in American politics, leaving the days of one-party control far behind.

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=External Links=
 * [|Overview of the Election of 1824]
 * [|Andrew Jackson's Political History]
 * [|Information on the Election of 1828]

= = = = =Sources=
 * //A Survey: American History// by Alan Brinkley
 * 1824 Map: [|Wikimedia]
 * John Quincy Adams Image: [|Wikimedia]
 * Jackson Innaguration Image: [|National Constitution Center]

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