Andrew Jackson vs. John Quincy Adams: The Birth of American Political Warfare | The American Story | Ep 13

The Glenn Beck Program

Mercury Radio Arts

News Commentary, News, Politics

4.6 • 25.2K Ratings

🗓️ 11 July 2026

⏱️ 55 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Two American giants collide in the brutal birth of modern politics. John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson were born the same year, but they represented two radically different Americas. One was a polished diplomat raised for public service; the other was a fiery frontier warrior who carried bullets, grudges, and political rage. Their rivalry explodes through the “corrupt bargain” of 1824, the vicious election of 1828, and leads to the birth of the Democratic Party. This is the story of how Andrew Jackson forever altered the presidency, and how John Quincy Adams found new purpose as a warrior in the fight against slavery. GLENN'S SPONSORS: American Financing: American Financing can show you how to put your hard-earned equity to work and get you out of debt. Dial ⁠800-906-2440⁠, or visit ⁠https://www.americanfinancing.net⁠. Freespoke: With Freespoke premium, you get a completely ad-free experience that keeps you focused on what matters. Download it for free at get freespoke.com/beck and use promo code “Beck” for 20% off. Byrna: Not every threat requires lethal force. Byrna's less-lethal launchers give you the ability to stop an aggressor from a safe distance. Protect yourself and your family by going to Byrna.com. Real Estate Agents I Trust: When you’re buying or selling a home, you need a real estate agent you can trust. Visit realestateagentsitrust.com to find the top-selling real estate agents in your area. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	By 1806, John Quincy Adams had already served under George Washington as ambassador to Holland,
0:12.3	then under his own father as ambassador to Prussia. Now elected by the Massachusetts state legislature,
0:19.5	he's a U.S. senator.
0:23.3	And just to keep things interesting,
0:28.4	he's taken on a new gig as a professor of rhetoric and oratory at Harvard.
0:31.8	Adams is 39 years old.
0:37.0	He finds himself somewhat of a transition phase in his already prolific career. He can see the writing on the wall.
0:39.8	He's way too independent-minded for his own good. Federalists put him in the U.S. Senate,
0:45.4	but he backs many of President Jefferson's policies, even when they clash with his party's line.
0:52.3	Massachusetts is about to vote him out,
0:54.8	but John Quincy Adams is all about principles over politics,
0:59.3	constitution over convenience.
1:01.9	He's really never been much of a party man.
1:05.0	His life as a senator and professor could hardly contrast more
1:08.5	with the life of Andrew Jackson,
1:10.5	who at the very same time,
1:12.5	1,100 miles west in Kentucky, is getting ready to shoot a man.
1:19.3	The frontier had its own code of honor. Words carry weight, and are often answered with bullets.
1:27.9	Jackson has been publicly insulted by a man named Charles Dickinson,
1:32.3	who accused him of going back on a horse racing bet.
1:36.2	It escalates when Dickinson insults Jackson's wife, Rachel,
1:40.9	questioning her honor in ways that hit too close to home.
	...

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