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Jackson did not care much for Southerners who talked about nullifying federal law or seceding (leaving) the United States.  Jackson, like President Abraham Lincoln 30 years later, was determined to hold the United States together.

Jackson did not care much for Southerners who talked about nullifying federal law or seceding (leaving) the United States.  Jackson, like President Abraham Lincoln 30 years later, was determined to hold the United States together.

A serious conflict between the North and South began before Jackson was even inaugurated.  In 1828, Congress passed the "Tariff of Abominations," which raised tariffs despite a bitter protest by South Carolina, which was an exporter dependent on the good will of foreign countries in accepting its products.  Raising tariffs on imports often caused other countries to retaliate, and also made it more expensive for businesses in the United States to buy the goods it needed.  The North favored tariffs to reduce competition from foreign goods; the South opposed tariffs and wanted the competition to reduce its costs in producing cotton.  When the North raised the tariffs in 1828, John Calhoun of South Carolina secretly wrote the "South Carolina Exposition and Protest" in 1828, which stated that the:<ref>http://ehistory.osu.edu/world/articles/ArticleView.cfm?AID=23</ref>

A serious conflict between the North and South began before Jackson was even inaugurated.  In 1828, Congress passed the "Tariff of Abominations," which raised tariffs despite a bitter protest by South Carolina, which was an exporter dependent on the good will of foreign countries in accepting its products.  Raising tariffs on imports often caused other countries to retaliate, and also made it more expensive for businesses in the United States to buy the goods it needed.  The North favored tariffs to reduce competition from foreign goods; the South opposed tariffs and wanted competition to reduce its costs in producing cotton.  When the North raised the tariffs in 1828, John Calhoun of South Carolina secretly wrote the "South Carolina Exposition and Protest" in 1828, which stated that the:<ref>http://ehistory.osu.edu/world/articles/ArticleView.cfm?AID=23</ref>

:"whole system of legislation imposing duties on imports,--not for revenue, but the protection of one branch of industry at the expense of others,--is unconstitutional, unequal, and oppressive, and calculated to corrupt the public virtue and destroy the liberty of the Country...."  

:"whole system of legislation imposing duties on imports,--not for revenue, but the protection of one branch of industry at the expense of others,--is unconstitutional, unequal, and oppressive, and calculated to corrupt the public virtue and destroy the liberty of the Country...."  

This Exposition and Protest embraced the concept of nullification, such that a state, if it decided that a federal law was unconstitutional, could nullify the law and not enforce it within the state.  This Exposition and Protest was then adopted by South Carolina legislature as a formal protest against the federal law, and bringing South Carolina a step closer to seceding from the United States altogether.  Georgia and Mississippi followed South Carolina in passing resolutions protesting the tariff.

This Exposition and Protest embraced the concept of nullification, such that a state, if it decided that a federal law was unconstitutional, could nullify the law and not enforce it within the state.  This Exposition and Protest was then adopted by South Carolina legislature as a formal protest against the federal law, and brought South Carolina a step closer to seceding from (leaving) the United States altogether.  Georgia and Mississippi followed South Carolina in passing resolutions protesting the tariff.

Calhoun was Jackson's Vice President beginning in 1829, and Jackson was furious at this defiance by a state against federal authority.  At a big political dinner in 1830, Jackson stared down Calhoun with the following toast: "Our Federal Union: It must be Preserved!"<ref name="Toast">http://www.ushistory.org/us/24e.asp</ref>  Calhoun then rose and offered his different view as a toast: "The Union — next to our liberty, the most dear!"<ref name="Toast"/>  Jackson was irritated by this, and by 1832 Jackson would take the unusual step of dropping Calhoun from his ticket and replacing him with a new Vice President when Jackson ran for reelection.

Calhoun was Jackson's Vice President beginning in 1829, and Jackson was furious at this defiance by a state against federal authority.  At a big political dinner in 1830, Jackson stared down Calhoun with the following toast: "Our Federal Union: It must be Preserved!"<ref name="Toast">http://www.ushistory.org/us/24e.asp</ref>  Calhoun then rose and offered his different view as a toast: "The Union — ''next to our liberty'', the most dear!"<ref name="Toast"/>  Jackson was irritated by this, and by 1832 Jackson would take the unusual step of dropping Calhoun from his ticket and replacing him with a new Vice President when Jackson ran for reelection.

In 1831, gossip and social scandal hit the White House, demonstrating that "National Enquirer" or tabloid-style stories were just as big back then as today.  The White House was like a social club, with members of the Presidents Cabinet of advisers and their wives being the members of this club.  In what  became known as the "Peggy Eaton Affair," gossip about the wife of the Secretary of War caused others in the Cabinet (and particularly the wives of Cabinet members) to turn against Peggy Eaton and her husband-Secretary of War.  Jackson, who still resented gossip about his wife before he was elected president, instinctively defended Peggy Eaton.  Much of the Cabinet then resigned, forcing Jackson to form an entirely new Cabinet.

In 1831, gossip and social scandal hit the White House, demonstrating that "National Enquirer" or tabloid-style stories were just as big back then as today.  The White House was like a social club, with members of the President's Cabinet of advisers and their wives being the members of this club.  In what  became known as the "Peggy Eaton Affair," gossip about the wife of the Secretary of War caused others in the Cabinet (and particularly the wives of Cabinet members) to turn against Peggy Eaton and her husband-Secretary of War.  Jackson, who still resented gossip about his now-deceased wife which occurred before he was elected president, instinctively defended Peggy Eaton.  Much of the Cabinet then resigned, forcing Jackson to form an entirely new Cabinet.

   

   

The North-South conflict boiled over in late 1832.  The South Carolina legislature went one step further and passed the Ordinance of Nullification prohibiting the collection of federal duties and declaring that the use of force by the federal government would be justification for South Carolina to secede from the Union.  Jackson issued a proclamation that "disunion by armed force is treason."  But South Carolina remained defiant.  Jackson was furious, declaring that "if a single drop of blood is shed there in opposition to the laws of the United States, then I will hang the first person I can lay my hand on, upon the first tree I can reach."<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=_34AAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA363&lpg=PA363&dq=%22Andrew+Jackson%22+tree+hang+Calhoun&source=web&ots=Q_px3n4woz&sig=44JZJpNJNxKrQjFAbYlVCj0nv_4&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result "A Students' History of the United States," By Edward Channing]</ref>  Jackson replaced Calhoun with Martin Van Buren as his Vice President.

The North-South conflict boiled over in late 1832.  The South Carolina legislature went one step further and passed the Ordinance of Nullification prohibiting the collection of federal duties and declaring that the use of force by the federal government would be justification for South Carolina to secede from the Union.  Jackson issued a proclamation that "disunion by armed force is treason."  But South Carolina remained defiant.  Jackson was furious, declaring that "if a single drop of blood is shed there in opposition to the laws of the United States, then I will hang the first person I can lay my hand on, upon the first tree I can reach."<ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=_34AAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA363&lpg=PA363&dq=%22Andrew+Jackson%22+tree+hang+Calhoun&source=web&ots=Q_px3n4woz&sig=44JZJpNJNxKrQjFAbYlVCj0nv_4&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result "A Students' History of the United States," By Edward Channing]</ref>  In running for reelection, Jackson replaced Calhoun with Martin Van Buren as his Vice President.

In early 1833, Jackson asked for the Force Bill to use federal troops to enforce the revenue laws, but also lowered the tariff.  South Carolina suspended its ordinance of nullification and the conflict was defused.

In early 1833, Jackson requested the Force Bill in order to authorize federal troops to enforce the revenue laws, but Jackson also approved lowering the tariff to appease South Carolina.  South Carolina then suspended its ordinance of nullification and the conflict was defused.

'''Debate:  Can a State nullify an act of Congress?  Can a State secede (withdraw) from the United States?'''

'''Debate:  Can a State nullify an act of Congress?  Can a State secede (withdraw) from the United States?'''

:Andrew Jackson was the first modern president, because he was the first one who asserted that the president was not merely a member of the government's symphony: he was its conductor.

:Andrew Jackson was the first modern president, because he was the first one who asserted that the president was not merely a member of the government's symphony: he was its conductor.

Jackson remained powerful in the Democratic Party in his retirement.  In 1844 he switched his support from Van Buren to James K. Polk, and this enabled Polk to win the Democratic nomination for president and then win the general election also in order to become president.  Jackson died a year later, in 1845.

Jackson remained powerful in the Democratic Party in his retirement.  For example, eight years after Jackson retired (in 1844) he switched his support from Van Buren to James K. Polk, and this enabled Polk to win the Democratic nomination for president and then win the general election also in order to become president.  Jackson died a year later, in 1845.

Jackson, perhaps more than anyone else, established the powerful tools of the modern presidency.  These included vetoing bills of Congress to prevent them from becoming law (Jackson vetoed more bills than all the presidents before him ''combined''), removing people from office when he disagreed with them, and using executive orders to give his positions the power of law.<ref>http://ap.grolier.com/article?assetid=0151440-0</ref>

Jackson, perhaps more than anyone else, established the powerful tools of the modern presidency.  These included vetoing bills of Congress to prevent them from becoming law (Jackson vetoed more bills than all the presidents before him ''combined''), removing people from office when the President disagreed with them, and using executive orders as President to give his views the power of law.<ref>http://ap.grolier.com/article?assetid=0151440-0</ref>

== Post-Jackson ==

== Post-Jackson ==