Students learn about the causes and effects of Jacksonian democracy and the impact of the election of Jackson on American politics. Then, they learn about the spoils system and investigate if the spoils system is evident in today's political process.
Students view an image of President Andrew Jackson and read a brief introduction explaining that Jackson’s 1828 election brought a new focus on serving the “common man” and opposing special treatment of the rich, laying the foundation for modern Democratic Party politics. They respond individually to a prompt predicting what the term “kitchen cabinet” might mean in relation to government, sharing their guesses on a class wall.
Teacher MovesIntroduce the lesson focus on Jacksonian democracy and the spoils system, review the objectives, and explain that students will work in small groups in upcoming scenes. After students post their ideas about “kitchen cabinet,” note that they will soon learn it refers to Jackson’s informal group of advisors, then divide students into small groups before unlocking the next scene.
In small groups, students read about Jacksonian democracy using Jacksonian Democracy and Modern America and the section “Jacksonian Democracy: The Emergence of a More Democratic Republic” from The Age of Jackson to learn how Jackson portrayed himself as a champion of the common man and how his policies reshaped American politics. Groups then complete a graphic organizer listing three ways Jacksonian democracy changed American politics, with one group member recording their ideas.
Teacher MovesInvite groups to share examples from their organizers and highlight key changes such as the Democratic Party’s appeal to farmers and workers, expanded voting rights for more white men, popular election of presidential electors, affordable western land policies for white Americans, and the emergence of a two-party system. Use student responses to reinforce how Jacksonian democracy altered political participation and party politics before moving on.
Students learn about Jackson’s distrust of entrenched officeholders and his practice of replacing them with loyal supporters by watching The Spoils System Explained and reading Spoils System. In small groups, they discuss what surprised them about Jackson’s approach to appointments, then answer a poll on whether it is ethical for a president to give government positions to loyal friends. Groups post written explanations justifying their poll choice with evidence, and then respond to a second prompt explaining how the Pendleton Act of 1883 affected the spoils system.
Teacher MovesFacilitate small-group and whole-class discussion of the spoils system, sharing interesting or exemplary student responses about the ethics of patronage. When students address the Pendleton Act, highlight that it effectively ended the spoils system by creating a merit-based civil service, requiring competitive exams, and protecting federal employees from politically motivated firing or demotion. Use these discussions to clarify how Jackson’s practices led to later reforms.
Students read about Jackson’s belief that long-term officeholders become corrupt and examine Senator William Marcy’s statement that “to the victor belong the spoils of the enemy.” In small groups, they post responses explaining the meaning of this phrase and how it relates to Jackson’s actions. Drawing on prior learning and an additional article titled Spoils System, groups then research and draft a collective response to whether the spoils system still exists in modern politics, posting examples that support their opinion.
Teacher MovesDiscuss student interpretations of Marcy’s quote, explaining that he used it to defend Jackson’s appointment of Martin Van Buren as minister to England and that rewarding political supporters with government jobs while removing opponents is known as the spoils system. Guide conversation as groups share whether they see parallels in today’s politics, prompting them to support claims with factual examples and to distinguish between historical patronage and contemporary practices.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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