7/11/1767 – 2/23/1848
Party: Democratic-Republican
Timeline; 1825-1828
John Q. Adams was the son of the second President; John Adams. They became the first father and son duo to have served as Presidents. Historians believe he was one of the greatest diplomats and Secretaries of State in American History due to the Treaty of Ghent which ended the War of 1812, the annexation of Florida, the negotiation with Britain over the northern border with Canada and his drafting of the Monroe Doctrine. His successful diplomacy as Secretary of State helped extend United States from Atlantic to Pacific coasts.
1825;
- John Q Adams wins the controversial Presidency over Jackson at the age of 57, John C. Calhoun becomes his V.P.
- Erie Canal is completed
ERIE CANAL
1826;
- Military training manuals created
- Founding Fathers Jefferson and Adams both die on Independence Day.
JOHN AND ABIGAIL ADAMS TOMB IN QUINCY, MA
THOMAS JEFFERSON TOMB IN CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA
- Adams finalized restitution settlement with Britain through the Treaty of Ghent.
1827;
- Adams proclaims ports closed to British, suspending trades.
- European states incorporated into MFN Trade System
1828;
- Mexican Boundary Settlement agreed upon
- Adams signs the Tariff of Abominations, Calhoun does nothing expecting it to fail and make the North look bad, but it passes.
- VP Calhoun anonymously pens South Carolina Exposition and Protest in objection to Tariff of Abominations
Although Adams was a leader in foreign-policy and played important roles of negotiating treaties, he was blocked by a Congress of his enemies time and time again, Some accused him of winning the White House through corruption so he was plagued by accusations of misdeeds throughout his presidency, which is why he only served one term. Calhoun’s deeds towards the end of the term helped seal it as well but Adams achieved far greater acclaim after his Presidency when he was elected a U.S. Representative from Massachusetts for nine terms, where his growing revulsion against slavery helped him become a leading opponent against slave power.
Famous quotes:
“Posterity: you will never know how much it has cost my generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make good use of it.”
“Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost.”
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”
3/15/1767 – 6/8/1845
Party: Democratic
Timeline; 1829-1837
Andrew Jackson gained national fame through his role in the War of 1812, where he won a decisive victory over the main British invasion army at the Battle of New Orleans. Years later he responded to conflict with the Seminole in Spanish Florida by invading the territory in 1818 which led to the First Seminole War and the Adams-Onis Treaty in 1819, which formally transferred Florida from Spain to the United States. After his surprising loss to John Q. Adams (allegedly by corruption) in 1824, his supporters founded what became the Democratic Party and pushed him to his election.
1829; Jackson becomes the 7th President of the United States, at the age of 61. Calhoun remains as his V.P.
1830; Jackson signs Indian Removal Act
1831;
- Jackson reshuffles his cabinet due to the Peggy Eaton affair
- James Monroe is laid to rest in Richmond, VA
JAMES MONROE TOMB
- Jackson vetoes bill that would extend the life of the Second Bank
1832;
- Jackson wins re-election
- South Carolina adopts the Ordinance of Nullification. Calhoun resigns from VP to be Senator of SC
- Jackson announce Nullification Proclamation in counter to South Carolina’s ordinance.
1833;
- Congress passes Force Bill, authorizing Jackson to use military power to bring South Carolina in compliance, if necessary.
- Martin Van Buren becomes V.P.
1836;
- Texas declares Independence from Mexico
- James Madison is laid to rest in Orange, VA
JAMES MADISON TOMB
- Arkansas (slave) becomes the 25th state of the union
- Deposit Act of 1836 signed
1837; Jackson recognizes Texas as an Independent but declines addressing annexation in light of threats by Mexico
Jackson dealt with the threat of secession from South Carolina over the Tariff of Abominations, which was passed in Adam’s congress. The tariff was eventually amended but even if it had not, Jackson refused to let any state nullify federal law, or secede and threatened the use of military force if South Carolina, or any other state, attempted to secede. During his time he was considered the common people’s friend and was dubbed “Old Hickory” because he was so tough and expanded the powers of the Presidency. He is the face of the $20 bill.
Famous Quotes;
“Peace, above all things, is to be desired, but blood must sometimes be spilled to obtain it on equable and lasting terms.”
“The wisdom of man never yet contrived a system of taxation that would operate with perfect equality.”
“Take time to deliberate; but when the time for action arrives, stop thinking and go in.”
12/5/1782 – 7/24/1862
Party: Democratic
Timeline; 1837-1841
Van Buren gained his fame as a political organizer and an accomplished lawyer as well as building the organizational structure for the Democratic Party, primarily in New York where he also held titles of Senator (1821-1828) and Governor (1829). He also held position of Secretary of State (1829-1831), prime minister to United Kingdom (1831-1832) and Vice President (1833-1937). He was the first President to be born an American citizen, rather than British subject.
1837;
- At the age of 54, Van Buren becomes 8th President of the United States. Richard M. Johnson is his V.P.
- The Panic of 1837 begins in New York
- Rebellion erupts in upper and lower Canada against British, Americans get involved
- Britain seizes American steamship Caroline supplying aid to Canadian militia
- Michigan (free) becomes the 26th state of the Union
PANIC OF 1837
1838;
- Aroostook War begins
- Van Buren criticizes Britain over the Caroline Affair but remains in a neutral stance with the Neutrality Law of 1838
DESTRUCTION OF CAROLINE
1839;
- Aroostook War ends
- Van Buren secures agreement with England over two slave ships, then seizes another mutinous one, Amistad
LA AMISTAD
1840;
- Van Buren signs the Independent Treasury Act
- Hearings of the Amistad determined the right to send the ship back to its owner, but the slaves were freed to Africa
Van Buren lost re-election, where he was dubbed by newspapers as “Martin Van Ruin” over his inability to deal with the economic chaos that was the Depression of 1837 and for his stance against the annexation of Texas.
Famous quotes;
“The less government interferes with private pursuits, the better for general prosperity.”
“I cannot expect to perform the task with equal ability and success.”
“I tread in the footsteps of illustrious men… in receiving from the people the sacred trust confided to my illustrious predecessor.”
#9 William Henry Harrison 1841
2/9/1773-4/4/1841
Party: Whig
Timeline; 1841
Harrison served as the first territorial congressional delegate from the Northwest Territory (1799-1800), governor of the Indiana Territory (1801-1812), and later as a U.S. representative (1816-1819) and senator from Ohio (1825-1828). He originally gained national fame for leading U.S. forces against American Indians at the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811, where he earned the nickname “Tippecanoe” (or “Old Tippecanoe”). As a general in the subsequent War of 1812, his most notable action was in the Battle of the Thames in 1813, which brought an end to hostilities in Upper Canada. This battle resulted in the death of Tecumseh and the dissolution of the Indian coalition which he led.
BATTLE OF TIPPECANOE
1841;
- At the age of 68, Harrison became the ninth President of the United States and was the last President born as a British Subject. He delivered one of the longest inaugural speeches in the cold and fell ill.
- A month later Harrison died of pneumonia, bringing up the dilemma of who succeeds the President if he dies in office, it was determined then that the Vice President (John Tylor) takes over duties if the President passes in office.
HARRISON’S TOMB IN NORTH BEND, OH
Famous quotes;
There is nothing more corrupting, nothing more destructive of the noblest and finest feelings of our nature, than the exercise of unlimited power.The only legitimate right to govern is an express grant of power from the governed.All the measures of the Government are directed to the purpose of making the rich richer and the poor poorer.
#10 John Tyler 1841-1845
3/29/1790 – 1/18/1862
Party: Whig
Timeline; 1841-1845
Tyler served as a Virginia state legislator, governor (1825-1827), U.S. representative (1816-1821), and U.S. senator (1827-1836) before his election as vice president (1841). He was put on the ticket to attract states’ rights Southerners to what was then a Whig coalition to defeat Van Buren’s re-election bid. Tyler was known as a supporter of states’ rights, which endeared him to his fellow Virginians. A firm believer in manifest destiny, President Tyler sought to strengthen and preserve the Union through territorial expansion, most notably the annexation of the independent Republic of Texas in his last days in office.
1841;
- Tyler takes Presidency at the age of 51, after Harrison’s death.
- Tyler’s entire cabinet, besides Secretary of State, resigns after he vetoes bill for establishment of the National Bank.
1842;
- Supreme Court of Massachusetts establishes the legality of labor unions in the case of Commonwealth v Hunt
- Tyler signs Webster-Ashburton Treaty
- Tyler’s wife, the first lady Letitia dies.
1844;
- Texas annexation Treaty is signed but fails to gain two-thirds support in the Senate
- First telegraph line established between Washington D.C. and Baltimore
- Treaty of Wanghia signed with Chinese empire
- Tyler gets remarried which causes both parties to pummel him in politics
1845;
- Texas annexation is passed
- Andrew Jackson is laid to rest in Nashville, TN
ANDREW JACKSON TOMB
- Florida (slave) becomes the 27th state of the Union
The circumstances of his unexpected rise to the presidency and his possible threat to the ambitions of other potential presidential candidates left him estranged from both major parties in Washington. Tyler found much of the Whig platform unconstitutional, and vetoed several of his party’s bills. Believing that the president should set policy instead of deferring to Congress, he attempted to bypass them but most of Tyler’s Cabinet resigned soon into his term, dubbing his tenure as “His Accidency” and expelling him from the party. Though Tyler was not the first president to veto bills, he was the first to see his veto overridden by Congress. Although he faced a stalemate on domestic policy, he had several foreign-policy achievements, including the Webster–Ashburton Treaty with Britain and the Treaty of Wanghia with Qing China.
President Tyler dedicated his last two years in office to the annexation of Texas. He initially sought election to a full term, but after losing the support of both Whigs and Democrats, he withdrew. Although some have praised Tyler’s political resolve, his presidency is generally held in low standards by historians; today, he is considered with little presence in the American cultural memory. Tyler was expected to be a passive “acting President” while he finished Harrison’s term. But he refused to be passive. He made enemies in Congress and was the first President to be threatened with impeachment.