The title might seem strange, the two biggest enemies of early expanding America teaming up, but it nearly came to pass.
During the First Seminole War, the Hero or New Orleans Andrew Jackson was sent by President Monroe to do one thing, force the Creeks and Seminoles to submit to the United States. During his time there Jackson learned they were being supplied by the British and Spanish, specifically in Spanish-held Florida. Thus Jackson decided to invade, kill the resisting Indians, and expel the ill-equipped Spaniards. His invasion earned him the scorn of much of Monroe's cabinet, including Secretary of the Treasury William Crawford. Nearly all of them blamed Jackson illegally invading the territory of a nation they were not at war with. Spain demanded his head, and only Secretary of State Adams backed Jackson on this, due to their then shared belief of Manifest Destiny. He used the weakness of the Spanish Colonial forces to give them an ultimatum, bring troops and back up your claim to Florida or have it taken. After a period of being Military Governor, Jackson left Florida to rest in Tennesse. He favored Adams for his outspoken support in Florida, and nearly let it end there.
But it didn't. His enemies in Tennessee renominated John Williams to the Senate, who announced his support for Crawford, and Jackson's supporters hastily elected Jackson to the Senate instead to prevent Williams from being re-elected. This gave a major boost to the then half-hearted Jackson Campaign. The rest is history from there.
Given all this, I think Adams would win a clear majority come November. He'd tale New England of course, would likely get Pennsylvania, Tennessee, New Jersey, Mississippi, and would avoid Van Buren's manipulation of New York's votes (which he did to prevent Clay and Crawford tying for 3rd place). Clay would still have the support of Kentucky and Missouri (home state and the state which bequeathed him the title Great Compromise), but Ohio would be thrown to Adams. Indiana is a possible pick up (he scored 2nd to Jackson), but other then that it's likely Adams sweeps his and Jackson's OTL states.
Assuming he does so I'm curious how a first term would go for Adams with a clear majority, the lack of a Jacksonian Democratic coalition, and the disintegration of the Republicans and Federalists. Another important thing to note is the Treaty of Indian Springs, where the Georgia Government made a bad deal with the Creeks and took most of their land, when Adams found out about this late (due to the electoral shenanigans giving him a late start), he mobilised the army to inforce a new treaty and eventually backed down. This is important for several reasons, the biggest of which is that it fired up the States Rights extremists into mainstream positions. The biggest turncoat was John Calhoun, up until then a big Nationalist. If Adams came in without a fuss (and perhaps willing to lend his ear to the fellow Nationalist Jackson), that would butterfly away many problems later on.
What do you guys think?
During the First Seminole War, the Hero or New Orleans Andrew Jackson was sent by President Monroe to do one thing, force the Creeks and Seminoles to submit to the United States. During his time there Jackson learned they were being supplied by the British and Spanish, specifically in Spanish-held Florida. Thus Jackson decided to invade, kill the resisting Indians, and expel the ill-equipped Spaniards. His invasion earned him the scorn of much of Monroe's cabinet, including Secretary of the Treasury William Crawford. Nearly all of them blamed Jackson illegally invading the territory of a nation they were not at war with. Spain demanded his head, and only Secretary of State Adams backed Jackson on this, due to their then shared belief of Manifest Destiny. He used the weakness of the Spanish Colonial forces to give them an ultimatum, bring troops and back up your claim to Florida or have it taken. After a period of being Military Governor, Jackson left Florida to rest in Tennesse. He favored Adams for his outspoken support in Florida, and nearly let it end there.
But it didn't. His enemies in Tennessee renominated John Williams to the Senate, who announced his support for Crawford, and Jackson's supporters hastily elected Jackson to the Senate instead to prevent Williams from being re-elected. This gave a major boost to the then half-hearted Jackson Campaign. The rest is history from there.
Given all this, I think Adams would win a clear majority come November. He'd tale New England of course, would likely get Pennsylvania, Tennessee, New Jersey, Mississippi, and would avoid Van Buren's manipulation of New York's votes (which he did to prevent Clay and Crawford tying for 3rd place). Clay would still have the support of Kentucky and Missouri (home state and the state which bequeathed him the title Great Compromise), but Ohio would be thrown to Adams. Indiana is a possible pick up (he scored 2nd to Jackson), but other then that it's likely Adams sweeps his and Jackson's OTL states.
Assuming he does so I'm curious how a first term would go for Adams with a clear majority, the lack of a Jacksonian Democratic coalition, and the disintegration of the Republicans and Federalists. Another important thing to note is the Treaty of Indian Springs, where the Georgia Government made a bad deal with the Creeks and took most of their land, when Adams found out about this late (due to the electoral shenanigans giving him a late start), he mobilised the army to inforce a new treaty and eventually backed down. This is important for several reasons, the biggest of which is that it fired up the States Rights extremists into mainstream positions. The biggest turncoat was John Calhoun, up until then a big Nationalist. If Adams came in without a fuss (and perhaps willing to lend his ear to the fellow Nationalist Jackson), that would butterfly away many problems later on.
What do you guys think?