The Age of Jackson and Ante-Bellum Reform Timeline

 
1815
Andrew Jackson becomes national hero at Battle of New Orleans.
1816
"Era of Good Feelings" ushers in one-party system with the election of James Monroe.
1821
Andrew Jackson acts as quasi-military commander of newly acquired Florida territory.
1824
Tariff Act of 1824  Passed - promoted by Henry Clay to protect American industry.
1824
Election of 1824 - none of the candidates (Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams, and William H.  Crawford, and Henry Clay) gains a majority; the election is thrown into the House of  Representatives. 
1824
Election of 1824 decided - Englander John Quincy Adams is chosen, resulting in a schism in  the Democratic-Republican party: Adams-Clay faction is known as National Republicans  (Whigs in 1830's), and the pro-Jackson faction become the Democratic Party after 1828. John C.  Calhoun is Vice President.
1825
Erie Canal is completed - encourages commercial growth of New York City and other cities  along the canalís route.
1825
American Society for the Promotion of Temperance founded in Boston.
1826
Founding fathers Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both die, on the 50th anniversary of the  Declaration of Independence. 
1826
First American railroad is completed in Quincy, Massachusetts.
1826
Anti-Adams Jacksonians win a majority in both houses of Congress in mid-term elections.
1828
"The Tariff of Abominations," raising the protective Tariff of 1824, passes through  Congress and is signed by President Adams. 
1828
Andrew Jackson is elected President; John C. Calhoun is his Vice President.
1828
"South Carolina Exposition and Protest" issued by S.C. state legislature - written anonymously  by John C. Calhoun, the essay declares the Tariff of 1828 unconstitutional, and advocates state  sovereignty and the doctrine of nullification
1830
Webster-Hayne debate in Congress - the subject is the conflict between statesí rights and  federal power. Hayne supports state sovereignty and nullification. Webster concludes, "Liberty  and Union, now and forever, one and inseparable."
1830
Maysville Road Veto - Andrew Jackson vetoes bill to add federal support to build a road in  Kentucky. Argues against federal subsidies for roads when they are limited to individual  states; concedes to statesí righters without losing support of those who favor internal  improvements. 
1830
Indian Removal Act signed by President Jackson - grants authority to move Eastern Indians to  Western lands. 
1830
Broader suffrage and greater representation provided by revisions in some state constitutions.
1830
Lowell Mills open - attracts the daughters of rural farmers with assurances to their parents  about well-supervised dormitory living.
1831
William Lloyd Garrison begins publishing the Liberator.
1831
Cherokee Nation v. Georgia - the Supreme Court rules against the Cherokees; the Cherokees  are trying to prevent Georgia from applying its laws in Indian territory where gold has recently  been discovered. Court rules that Cherokees are "domestic dependents" and cannot sue in  Federal courts.
1832
Worcester v. Georgia - Supreme Court declares that the laws of the state of Georgia "can have  no force" within Cherokee boundaries. Georgia refuses to acknowledge the courtís decision and  finds support with President Jackson who declares, "John Marshall has made his decision, now  let him enforce it!"
1832
Bill to recharter the Bank of the United States vetoed by President Jackson - argues that the  bankís policies tend to favor corporations and moneyed aristocracy; Congress fails to override  the veto. 
1832
Tariff of 1832 adopted by Congress - more moderate than the Tariff of 1828, but still leaves the  South dissatisfied. 
1832
"South Carolina Ordinance of Nullification," written by John C. Calhoun, issued by South  Carolina state legislature - adopts measures to enforce this ordinance - even allowing for  military preparations and secession if the Federal Government resorts to force.
1833
Jackson issues a proclamation against South Carolinaís threat to secede - South Carolina  legislature defies "King Andrew" and even raises a volunteer army unit to repel any "invasion."   Jackson then asks Congress to adopt a Force Bill to enable him to enforce the provisions of the  Tariffs of 1828 and 1832.
1833
The Female Anti-Slavery Society is organized in Philadelphia  by Lucretia Mott. The  American Anti-Slavery Society is organized by Theodore Weld and Arthur and Lewis Tappan.
1833
Compromise Tariff of 1833 drawn up by Henry Clay - includes a gradual cutback in tariffs,  which pleases the South.
1833
Jackson declares that he wants government funds withdrawn from the Bank of the United  States - Attorney General Roger B. Taney supports Jacksonís desire to removing the deposits and  distributing them to selected state banks.
1833
Andrew Jackson is inaugurated for his second term. Martin Van Buren is inaugurated as Vice President (John C. Calhoun has resigned)
1833
Secretary of Treasury Duane refuses to carry out the removal of government funds from the Bank  of the United States; President Jackson replaces him with Roger B. Taney, who then orders the  removal of funds.
1833
"Pet banks" are established - funds from the Bank of the United states are transferred to these  23 state banks.
1833-7 Wild speculation in land, canals, roads begins.
1834
The name, "Whig," is formally  adopted for a new U.S. political party that emerges in response to Jacksonís policies.
1835
Chief Justice John Marshall dies; President Jackson names Roger B. Taney to succeed him.
1836
Specie Circular issued by President Jackson - because more different types of paper have  become acceptable tender and credit is easy, land speculation has skyrocketed, and so has  inflation. Jacksonís specie circular mandates that only gold and silver be used to buy government  lands. 
1836
Martin Van Buren is elected President - he runs on the Democratic ticket and agrees to follow  Jacksonís policies. Richard Johnson is Vice President.
1836
Ralph Waldo Emerson publishes "Nature" - the essay sets forth some of the ideas that come to  be known as Transcendentalism.
1837
The Panic of 1837.
1840
The group known as the Transcendentalists, including Ralph Waldo Emerson, George Ripley,  Henry David Thoreau, and Margaret Fuller,  begins to publish its journal, The Dial.
1841
Brook Farm Association - Transcendentalists set up a cooperative living experiment. Emerson  publishes his first series of essays.