The Accession of "Tyler Too"
This section discusses John Tyler's unexpected rise to the presidency and his conflicts with the Whig Party.
John Tyler: A President Without a Party
John Tyler became president in 1841 after William Henry Harrison's death, just four weeks into his term. Despite being elected as a Whig, Tyler's Democratic leanings caused significant friction with his party.
Highlight: Tyler vetoed two Whig-sponsored bills to establish a new Bank of the United States, leading to his expulsion from the Whig party and the resignation of most of his cabinet.
Financial Reform and Party Conflict
Tyler's presidency was marked by conflicts over financial policy:
- He ended the independent treasury system
- Vetoed Whig attempts to create a new national bank
- Initially vetoed a Whig tariff proposal
- Eventually signed the more moderate Tariff of 1842
A War of Words with Britain
This period saw increased tensions between the United States and Britain:
- Anti-British sentiment was high due to bitter memories of past wars
- The Caroline incident of 1837 and the Creole affair in 1841 further strained relations
- These conflicts were dubbed the "Third War with England," fought with "paper and ink"
Vocabulary: The Aroostook War refers to a bloodless confrontation between the United States and Britain over the Maine-New Brunswick border.
Manipulating the Maine Maps
The boundary dispute between Maine and Canada led to the Aroostook War. Lord Ashburton and Daniel Webster negotiated a compromise on the Maine boundary, helping to ease tensions between the two nations.
