The “Era of Good Feelings”

(1815-1824)• In 1817, a newspaper in Boston described politics as In 1817, a newspaper in Boston described politics as entering an ‘era of good feelings’.entering an ‘era of good feelings’.

•A spirit ofA spirit of nationalismnationalism, or glorification of the nation, , or glorification of the nation, swept the country.swept the country.

The “Era of Good Feelings”

(1815-1824)• In 1817, a newspaper in Boston described politics as In 1817, a newspaper in Boston described politics as entering an ‘era of good feelings’.entering an ‘era of good feelings’.

•A spirit ofA spirit of nationalismnationalism, or glorification of the nation, , or glorification of the nation, swept the country.swept the country.

The Election of 1816The Election of 1816

James Monroe (1817-1825)James Monroe (1817-1825)

•Vice President = Daniel Tompkins

•Secretary of State = John Quincy AdamsJohn Quincy Adams

Tariff of 1816• Embargo of 1807 and the War of 1812 cut off British

manufactured goods forcing Americans to build their own factories in the NortheastNortheast.

• After the war, British goods once again came into American markets and became competitioncompetition.

• Congress removed competition by imposing the Tariff of 1816, which put a taxtax on importsimports designed to protect American products and the people that made them.– The tax decreased the number of British manufacturers willing to

spend money to ship their goods to America.

– The tax put a 20-25%20-25% increase on goods.

Nationalist Economic Policies• Henry ClayHenry Clay was one of the leading

advocatesadvocates of a new economic nationalism.– He favoredfavored the Tariff of 1816.

– He and his supporters wanted the federal gov’t to build new roads and canals to link the Atlantic states with the new west.

– He hoped this would create more cohesioncohesion with each section.

– He favored a 22ndnd National Bank National Bank. The first one, created by Hamilton under Washington’s administration expired in 1811.• StatesStates and privateprivate banks were creating

different currenciescurrencies which led to uncertainty of the value of money.

Adams-Onis Treaty (aka Florida Purchase Treaty)

• Monroe and Adams hoped to reduce the nation’s great regional tensions by promoting nationalnational expansionexpansion.

• SpainSpain ceded FloridaFlorida in 1819.– SeminolesSeminoles clashed with

white settlers because they provided a place for runawayrunaway slavesslaves.

– Jackson was sent to get back slaves and punish the Indians.

• The treaty ended Spanish claims to the Pacific coast territory of Oregon in exchange for America’s abandonment of claims to Texas.

• Spain did not want to fight the U.S. over Florida. It was too busy putting down revolutions in South American countries.

Monroe Doctrine• This was a response to threats made by European powers, including

FranceFrance and Russia, to help Spain recover land lost in South America.

• The BritishBritish shared the U.S. goal of protecting lands from threats.– Adams and Monroe did not want helpdid not want help from Great Britain.

– In 1823, Monroe wrote a doctrine declaring that European monarchies that European monarchies had no business meddling with American landshad no business meddling with American lands.

– In return, the U.S. promisedpromised to stay out of European affairs.

• Referred to as America’s Self-Defense Doctrine.

The Nation Compromises Over Slavery

• MissouriMissouri admitted as a state– SlaveSlave state or freefree state?

– The U.S. had an equalequal number of free and slave states, adding to either one created an imbalanceimbalance in regionalregional power.

• Henry Clay (The Great CompromiserThe Great Compromiser)– Created the Compromise of 1820.

– The NorthNorth would admit MaineMaine as a freefree state.

– The SouthSouth would admit MissouriMissouri as a slaveslave state.

– Any area southsouth of Missouri would automaticallyautomatically be entered as a slave state and any state northnorth would be a freefree state.

• TemporaryTemporary fix to the North vs. South problems

Growing Division

• Southern whites felt insultedinsulted by the northern attacks on their region’s reliancereliance on slaveryslavery.

• In 1822, they blamed the Missouri Compromise for a slave revolt.– Denmark VeseyDenmark Vesey was a black freedman who prepared slaves to seize

control of CharlestonCharleston, SC.

– The revolt never took place. Officials learned of the plot and arrested, tried, convicted, and hanged Vesey and 34 others.

The Compromise of 1820The Compromise of 1820

The Election of 1820The Election of 1820

J.Q. Adams only received 1 electoral vote

John Quincy John Quincy Adams:Adams:

A bulldog among spaniels!

Secretary of State for Monroe

Presidency = 1825 - 1829

The Election of 1824:The Election of 1824:

The Election of 1824:The Election of 1824:

Candidate Popular Vote Electoral Vote

Andrew Jackson 43% 99

J.Q. Adams 31% 32

William Crawford 13% 41

Henry Clay 13% 37