How might America be different if John Quincy Adams was not elected president by the House of Representatives?
The Tariff of Abomination would not have been signed into legislation.
You might that we would have had less onerous tariffs on foreign goods.
America would be screwed. Really? idk idc about this
To understand how America might be different if John Quincy Adams was not elected president by the House of Representatives, we can examine the political context of his presidency and the key policy decisions that he made, such as the Tariff of Abominations.
Firstly, it's important to note that John Quincy Adams became president in 1825 after a highly contested election. He was elected by the House of Representatives, as none of the candidates had secured a majority in the electoral college. This was a unique situation in American history, and the outcome of the election had significant implications for the future of the country.
One of the major policy decisions during Adams' presidency was the Tariff of Abominations of 1828. This tariff aimed to protect American industries by imposing high import taxes on foreign goods, particularly manufactured goods from Europe. While it benefited Northern manufacturers, it was highly unpopular in the Southern states, where agricultural economies relied heavily on exports and had a significant dependence on imported goods.
If Adams had not been elected president, it is likely that a different candidate, such as Andrew Jackson or Henry Clay, would have assumed the presidency. Both Jackson and Clay were prominent political figures with their own policy agendas.
Andrew Jackson, who became the seventh president of the United States in 1829, was a strong advocate for limited government and the expansion of democratic principles. He believed in empowering the common people and reducing the influence of elites. It is likely that Jackson would have pursued policies aligned with his vision, which could have differed significantly from Adams' approach.
Regarding the Tariff of Abominations, it is difficult to predict the exact outcome without Adams' involvement. However, it is worth noting that Jackson, as a supporter of states' rights, had strong sympathies with the Southern states' opposition to the tariff. It is possible that under a Jackson presidency, the tariff may have been revised or dismantled to alleviate the tensions between the North and South.
In summary, if John Quincy Adams had not been elected president, America might have seen a different political landscape with potentially different policies and outcomes. The Tariff of Abominations may not have been signed into legislation, as Andrew Jackson, a supporter of states' rights, may have taken a different approach in response to the concerns of the Southern states.