Jackson and the Bank/Bank Battle

  • Charter of the 2nd Bank 1816

    Charter of the 2nd Bank 1816

    The Second Bank of the United States was chartered by President James Madison. The Second Bank was unpopular in newer states and territories. It was also unpopular with poorer people because they believed it represented the interests of the wealthy. Even though some still disagreed with the idea of a bank, just like the first bank, the second served its purpose.
  • Bank Recharter 1832

    Bank Recharter 1832

    Supporters of the bank in Congress pushed for an early renewal of its charter, which was set to expire in 1836.
  • Jackson's Veto

    Jackson's Veto

    Jackson thought the National Bank was unconstitutional. When Congress pushed for the renewal of the bank, he vetoed the bill. He declared that the bank was "unauthorized by the Constitution, subversive to the rights of States, and dangerous to the liberties of the people." Jackson was big on fighting for the "common man" and the states.
  • Election of 1832

    Election of 1832

    The Second Bank was a center point of the election. During the election, there was a fundamental division due to the bank. Jackson got an easy election victory over Henry Clay. He won 219 of the 286 electoral votes.
  • Pet Banks

    Pet Banks

    Pet Banks were the names of banks in the states that were given more power because they were loyal to Jackson. There were 23 pet banks.
  • Nicholas Biddle

    Nicholas Biddle

    Nicholas Biddle was the president of the bank at the time. He responded to Jackson's actions of trying to get rid of the bank by reducing loans and calling in debts. He made it more difficult for banks and businesses to borrow money in an effort to anger the public about Jackson's veto.
  • Jackson ends deposits in the Bank

    Jackson ends deposits in the Bank

    As a result of his reelection, Jackson wanted to completely destroy the bank. He ordered an end to deposits of government money in the bank. The deposits would now be placed in state banks.
  • Specie Circular 1836

    Specie Circular 1836

    Jackson believed that the only currencies that should be used were gold and silver. He set out to replace all bank notes with hard money. He prohibited the payment for public lands in anything but gold or silver.
  • Panic of 1837

    Panic of 1837

    There were many "panics" throughout the years happening in the United States. But, the panic of 1837 resulted in a multi-year economic depression. Profits, prices, wages, and westward expansion were negatively affected. The Panic of 1837 is attributed to "erratic American banking policy."
  • Election of 1840

    Election of 1840

    Won by William Harrison. The political landscape saw a big change. A party called the Whigs won the presidency. Lots of mudslinging was used during this election. Harrison was seen as a war hero, and used this to his advantage.