TheThe “Era of Good “Era of Good

Feelings”Feelings”

(1816 -1824)(1816 -1824)

TheThe “Era of Good “Era of Good

Feelings”Feelings”

(1816 -1824)(1816 -1824)What are the characteristics of the “Era of Good

Feelings”? What happened to end this period?

What did each president during this time seek to achieve? How did they attempt to make this

happen?What was the importance of the Monroe Doctrine?How did foreign policy change during this period?

Why?

Presidential Overview• James Madison

(1809-1817)– Democratic-Republican

• James Monroe* (1817-1825)– two terms– Democratic-Republican

• John Quincy Adams (1825-1829)– Democratic-Republican

The Election of 1816The Election of 1816[The Demise of the Federalist Party][The Demise of the Federalist Party]

1816: Demise of the First Party System• In 1787, when Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison

wrote the Federalist Papers, the party was also born, centered around Constitutional adoption and stronger central government.

• Federalist John Adams was elected in 1796; party was already in decline due to unpopular policies:– suppression of free speech under the Alien and Sedition

Acts– assumption of closer relations with Britain instead of France

(remember, D-R were on the side of state, not central power)

• In 1801 (after a hotly contested election) Jefferson elected president, with VP Aaron Burr– Federalists feared and hated Jefferson, but partly due to

infighting, couldn’t organize successful opposition– D-R win over east (see above), stronger support in South and

West (esp. with expansion)– Alexander Hamilton, Federalist Party figurehead, agreed to a duel with

Burr to revive his political career (shot and killed by Burr)

• Jefferson won a landslide reelection in 1804, thanks to the Louisiana Purchase.

What happened between Jefferson and Monroe presidencies?

• 1803-1809: Purchase of Louisiana, expansion of federal power—Supreme Court cases, Embargo Act

• 1808: Election of Madison• 1810-1812: trade wars, issues with foreign

policy (but Americans learn diplomacy)• 1812-1814: War of 1812, Hartford

Convention/Essex Junto discredit Federalists, growth of “nationalist” feelings

Presidency of James Presidency of James Monroe [1817-1825]Monroe [1817-1825]

• Change in/protection of domestic policy under American System

• Major internal improvements

• Shift in foreign policy leads to major national expansion

• Movement from nationalism to sectionalism in the U.S.

Clay’s “American System”Clay’s “American System”• Post-War of 1812, England had surplus goods, making

them cheap for American buyers, decreasing demand for American goods.

• To help regulate this, Henry Clay (former War Hawk and Speaker of the House) helped initiate the Tariff of 1816 which increased the price of imported goods. – tariff to benefit new, weak American manufacturing

industry– higher price of foreign goods made American goods more

likely purchased

• This was a part of Clay’s American System, a government-guided development of industry and ease of trade; attempt to protect economy from European influences – also created a National Bank, uniform currency (not state-

based)– improved America's transportation– supported by John C. Calhoun (SC Congressman); who had

tried to pass a Bonus Bill earlier in 1817 to use BUS funds for internal improvements

Clay’s “American Clay’s “American System”System” Tariff of 1816

Chartering of the Second Bank of the United States [BUS].

Irony is that Clay was once opposed to BUS

Internal improvements at federal expense. - National Road, Erie Canal (built on Calhoun’s attempt at the Bonus Bill in 1817)

WESTWEST got roads, canals, federal got roads, canals, federal aidaid

EASTEAST got the backing of got the backing of protective tariffs from the West.protective tariffs from the West.

SOUTHSOUTH ????

Henry Clay,Henry Clay,“The Great“The Great

Compromiser”Compromiser”

US Population DensityUS Population Density

18101810 18201820

Treaties of Expansion

• Rush-Bagot Treaty: US/Britain agree to disarmament in Great Lakes, important border between US/Canada; leads to:

• Convention of 1818: set boundary of Louisiana Territory at 49th parallel– Creates secure,

demilitarized border– Gain right to settle in

Oregon Country

• Adams-Onis Treaty 1819:– General Andrew Jackson

invades Spanish East Florida, although without official support of Monroe/S. State John Q. Adams

– Luis de Onis (Spanish diplomat to US) demands punishment

– Spain, rather than start a war with the new US military power, cedes Florida

– Sets new boundaries, now to include land in the Pacific Northwest

The Convention of 1818The Convention of 1818

Adams-Onis Treaty, 1819Adams-Onis Treaty, 1819[“The Transcontinental Treaty”][“The Transcontinental Treaty”]

The West & the NW: The West & the NW: 1819-1819-18241824

How did Nationalism lead to the beginning of the “Era of Good

Feelings”?1) The War of 1812 ended, marking a significant increase in Nationalism. Americans were proud of their nation’s win, and felt that the War of 1812 was the Second War of Independence from Britain. Americans began to identify themselves as Americans first, instead of identifying with their individual states.

2) The Death of The Federalist Party was due to their failure with the Hartford Convention. After the war, the Federalists were seen as extreme sectionalists that only cared about the needs of New England. With the United States in a Nationalist period after winning the war, the Federalists fell out favor, as evident in the 1816 election of Monroe.

3)The Tariff of 1816 showed unity between the states to protect their countries’ goods. Also promoted the exchanging of goods exclusively within the U.S.,supporting the national economy.

4) Second Bank of the United States. The fact that Southern leaders, like John C. Calhoun, supported this charter portrays the unifying bond of nationalism in the United States at the time.

Panic of 1819: First major Panic of 1819: First major US financial crisisUS financial crisis

CAUSES• Government borrowed heavily to

finance the War of 1812 – Banks stopped payments to

depositors (essentially, they didn’t have to hold enough money for those who put funds in the bank)

• The BUS offered bad (and sometimes fraudulent) loans and printed large amounts of paper money

– spurred new state banks– Overspeculation of real

estate/land (buying land at cheap prices to sell them at large profits)

– caused inflation and unsustainable investments

• Also due to international events:– European demand for American

goods decreased with farm recovery from Napoleonic Wars

– American bankers issued false banknotes and expanded credit (loans) to Europe. When banks “called back” the loans in 1819, they couldn’t pay the loans back

EFFECTS• Second Bank of the United States

was forced to use contractionary monetary policy (deflation). Led to a depression:

– bankruptcy– bank failures/runs – wide-scale unemployment

• The panic heightened interest in economic issues. Politicians offered many proposals to relieve the depression:

– Manufacturers propose higher importation tariffs

– Printing more paper money– Return to sound money policy,

working harder, spending less– Monroe limited government

intervention; gov’t pay was cut, as was overall spending

• Bred suspicion of a national bank that had power to manipulate the currency and created intense hostility toward the Second Bank of the United States

The Election of 1820The Election of 1820

How does the election of 1820 show an increase in nationalism?How does the election of 1820 show an increase in nationalism?

The Missouri Compromise, The Missouri Compromise, 1820:1820:

“A Firebell in the Night”“A Firebell in the Night”• Thomas Jefferson referred to the Missouri Compromise as a "fire bell in the night" (signal of emergency) because of the fact that he saw it as an extremely pressing matter.

Southern point of view: • Missouri should become a slave

state with vast cotton plantations to benefit economy.

• Missouri could expand slavery in the US, increase power in Congress to control /dismiss anti-slavery laws.

• Northerners are afraid of the spread of slavery because it will diminish manufacturing/industry power over the economy

• If the North can abolish slavery in Missouri, could abolish slavery in other states.

Northern point of view: • Spread of slavery will happen if

Missouri is created as a slave state. • Slavery must be abolished; South is

treating slaves as inhuman. • North will be unable to stop the

spread of slavery by the Southerners.

• The way to combat this is to add Maine as a free state, which will keep the balance between the North and South. This way, the North can keep a check on the spread of slavery.

In the end, the Missouri Compromise of 1820 allowed Missouri to be admitted as a slave state, while Maine was admitted as a slave state, and no slave states could be admitted above the 36 30’ line.

The Tallmadge The Tallmadge AmendmentAmendment

• All slaves born in Missouri after the territory became a state would be freed at the age of 25.

• Passed by the House, not in the Senate.– North controlled the

House– South had enough

power to block it in the Senate.

The Monroe Doctrine, 1823The Monroe Doctrine, 1823

3. What would the US do if the warning was not heeded?

Monroe Monroe Doctrine Doctrine

2. What warning is given to the European countries?

1. What foreign policy principles are established?

Referred to as “America’s Self-Defense Doctrine”

The Monroe Doctrine• Monroe's administration did not recognize the new

republics in South America until 1822. Monroe wanted to wait until after Spain had ceded Florida to the U.S.– After the Latin American rebellions against European

colonizers, U.S. wanted to promote democracy– Feared Holy Alliance of Europe would bring its anti-revolution

campaign to the Americas (promoted “divine right of kings”)

• Also wanted these new republics as trading partners, as U.S. sought to expand

To protect these principles, Monroe delivered a speech (now the “Monroe Doctrine”—a list of his beliefs)

• Colonization by European countries in the Americas was a violation of their right to sovereignty

• No European interference with existing colonies• No U.S. interference in European affairs (the idea of

“spheres of influence” over politics, economics, and social affairs)

Interpret: How do these cartoons display the meaning of the Monroe

Doctrine?

The Election of 1824:The Election of 1824:The “Corrupt Bargain”The “Corrupt Bargain”

The Election of 1824:The Election of 1824:The “Corrupt Bargain”The “Corrupt Bargain”

Candidate

Popular Vote

Electoral Vote

Andrew Jackson

43% 99

J.Q. Adams

31% 32

William Crawford

13% 41

Henry Clay

13% 37

No one received the majority vote needed. How will the presidency be determined?

• House of Rep. had to decide the winner

• A hint of scandal: Does Clay support Adams in return for the Secretary of States’ chair?

• Adams wins, but nationwide resentment at the perceived injustice

0102030405060708090100

Electoralvote

Popularpercentage

JacksonAdamsCrawfordClay

Election of 1824

Nationalism is being replaced by sectionalism.

All were Democratic-Republicans.The electorate voted along

sectional lines.

John Quincy Adams:John Quincy Adams:A bulldog among spaniels!

How did sectionalist controversies end the “Era of Good Feelings”?

1) Slavery: The strong disagreement between the North and South on slavery caused sectionalist tensions, especially during the Missouri Compromise debates in 1820.

2) Panic of 1819 and the Bank of the United States:Increased western expansion from the newly purchased Louisiana Purchase. As many people moved out the west, the west began to become sectionalist as well. Two issues emerged: the Bank of the United States and the protective tariff.

With such a sense of nationalism and peace, it might appear shocking that the" Era of Good Feelings" lasted only 10 years. However, the nationalism after the war masked the still present sectionalist issues in the United States. Controversy and tension rose, leading to the decline in nationalism and the increase of sectionalism.