An Era of Good Feelings

• In 1816, James Monroe (republican) easily beat his federalist opponent.

• This was after the War of 1812, and many Americans were proud of their country. Americans just felt good about America.

• Monroe ran and won a second term in office, this time more easily than the first. The federalist party was officially dead.

Sectionalism Grows

• While tensions between political parties had stopped, sectionalism was growing. Sectionalism is loyalty to one’s state or section rather than to the nation as a whole.

• Americans began to identify themselves as southerners, northerners, or westerners. This was due largely in part to new sectional leaders (John C Calhoun in the south, Daniel Webster in the north, and Henry Clay in the West)

                               

John C. Calhounaka “Young Hercules”

• From South Carolina, he represents the South

• Supported the War of 1812

• Believes in slavery• Opposed

strengthening the federal government

Daniel Webster

• From New Hampshire, he supports the north

• Most skilled speaker of his time

• Opposed the War of 1812

• Believes slavery is evil• Wants the federal

government to take a more active role in building the economy

Henry Clay

• Spoke for the west• Leader of the War Hawks

who supported the War of 1812.

• Like Webster, Clay supported the federal government taking a more active role in promoting the country’s growth

• Promoted the “American System,” a high tariff on imports.

Helping American Businesses Grow• England had a head start in the

industrial revolution. They had been occupied with the various wars, but now they were ready to put Americans out of the industrial business. Because England had been in the game longer, they could offer goods at a lower price. American factories could not compete, and many went out of business.

• In response, congress passed a protective tariff. This put a tax on imported goods, making those goods more expensive. This was meant to encourage Americans to buy American made goods.

• Since the south and west had few factories, they said that the tariff made northern manufacturers rich at the expense of the south and west.

The Supreme Court Strengthens Federal Power

• Under Chief Justice John Marshall, the supreme court strengthened the power of the federal government. There were two landmark cases.

• First was McCulloch v. Maryland. In this case, the court ruled that states had no right to interfere with federal institutions after Congress chartered the Second Bank of the US and Maryland tried to tax the bank in order to drive it out of business.

• Second, the was Gibbons v. Ogden. The Supreme Court upheld the power of the federal government to regulate trade between states when an issue came up about whether or not New York had the right to regulate steam boats that traveled between New York and New Jersey.