Followers of Andrew Jackson were named “Jacksonian Democrats”. Andrew Jackson won the election of 1828. The Whig party was against the Jacksonians (formed in the mid-1830s). Congress raised their salaries to $1,500 a year (Salary Act of 1816), but it was quickly repealed. Political rights for white men were increasing when some states allowed white men to vote without owning property. As political rights for white men increased, it decreased for women and free blacks. The Second Great Awakening was a group of religious revivals in the early nineteenth century made by great emotionalism in big public meetings. Evangelical Christianity was big during this time and appealed to women and African Americans because they liked how it sent the message …show more content…
Congress failed to override the veto. In 1836, the Bank was reduced and the government’s money was put into “pet banks” (state banks controlled by Democrats). The Panic of 1837 occurred when debt increased. Bank panic brought down the entire economy. Jackson issued the Specie Circular of 1836 (public land could only be bought with gold or silver). President Martin Van Buren passed the Independent Treasury System (the federal government kept its money in different vaults and did business with hard money). In 1835, an uproar over slavery occurred. The North believed it was the greatest sin of all. Many petitions were sent to Congress, which angered Southern congressman. The gag rule was formed where antislavery petitions were automatically tabled with no argument. The Second Party System was the strong competition between the Democrats and the Whigs in the 1830s. The Anti-Masons were formed in 1827 and were opposed to the Masonic order. The Whigs tried to persuade the people that they were better than the Democrats. William Henry Harrison, a Whig, won the election of 1840 against Van Buren. Harrison died from pneumonia in 1841. John Tyler, vice president, then became