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The Petticoat Affair was a perfect storm that was the result of many opposing forces: Eastern aristocracy against western ruffians, slave versus free states, old mores against the new democracy, states rights versus central government. All factors came to play over the person of Peggy Eaton.
She was born the year the government and her father moved to Washington. He had a boardinghouse that housed congressmen, senators, vice presidents, ambassadors and supreme courts justices. Peggy was bounced on the knees of dignitaries from infancy and knew them all as friend, uncles and confidants. She served drinks as a child in her father's saloon and could bandy bawdy jokes with the best of them. She had several early romances and at least one failed elopement before her marriage at 16 to a naval officer, John Timberlake.
Her rude upbringing and Irish roots were enough to cause society ladies to dislike her. But while Timberlake was at sea, she was seen everywhere in the company of the rich widower Sen John Henry Eaton, Jackson's friend and campaign manager. For this she was banned from society and shunned.
Her husband died and sea and Peggy violated mores again by marrying Eaton within a year of her first husband's death. This made society even more forcefully against her. Yet when Jackson made Eaton Sec. of War, it brought the shunned Peggy back into society as the second ranked woman, behind Mrs. Vice President Floride Calhoun. Floride continued to shun Peggy, and all of society followed suit.
The various forces mentioned in the first paragraph above aligned for or against Peggy to curry favor with VP Calhoun or Jackson. The ensuing struggle consumed the first two years of Jackson's administration and led to fist fights at society events, the trading of insults and slanders, the firing of Jackson's entire cabinet, and the Sec. of War chasing the Sec of the Treasury through the streets of Washington with loaded guns and intent to kill. It caused a permanent rupture between Jackson and Calhoun that led Calhoun to become the spokesman for states rights, slavery and Nullification, a path that led directly to the Civil War.
There is a good historical novel that documents it all. "The Breath of Suspicion," available on Kindle.
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∙ 11y ago
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During Andrew Jacksons presidency who was his predecessor?
John Quincy Adams
Who hoped to ride Andrew Jacksons coattails to presidency?
Martin Van Buren
What was the Eaton affair?
The Eaton affair or the Petticoat affair was a scandal in 1831 involving several members of Andrew Jackson cabinet. See the link below.
What was Andrew Jacksons term of presidency?
March 4, 1829 - March 4, 1837
What important change occured during Andrew Jacksons presidency?
end of spoil system
What was the major focus of Andrew jacksons presidency?
National Banking problems and the economy
What important change occurred during andrew jacksons presidency?
The extension of voting rights to all white males.
Andrew Jacksons place of residence after the presidency?
He retired to his estate , called the Hermitage, located near Nashville, TN.
Who was the woman andrew jackson championed that was the wife to his secretary of war?
Margaret "Peggy" Eaton, also look up the "Petticoat Affair"
What is one domestic affair for Andrew Johnson?
Reconstruction was the major domestic issue during Andrew Johnson's presidency. It was during his presidency that the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments went into effect.
Are Andrew jacksons's parents divorced?
no Andrew jacksons parents are not divorsed
Are Andrew Jacksons parents divorced?
no Andrew jacksons parents are not divorsed
