THE ERA OF GOOD FEELINGS OR WAS IT?APUSH - Spiconardi

Nationalism• After the War of 1812, America emerged with a heightened sense of nationalism• “Victory” over Britain • Westward expansion brought

optimism• Reduced sectionalism• Citizens began to see

themselves as Americans as opposed to state citizens first

• Cultural nationalism• End of Federalist led to a one

party system• “Everyone” was a Republican

The American System• The War of 1812 demonstrated that the United States lacked infrastructure and funds• Military was not properly equipped• Transportation of supplies was

difficult• Funds were limited• Fortifications needed

strengthening

• In his annual address to Congress in 1815, Madison put forth a plan to strengthen the national economy

The American System

Henry Clay

• Congressional Representative from Kentucky (Speaker of the House)• Originally against a national bank,

Clay believed circumstances had made on necessary

• Despite retaining his belief in an agrarian republic, Clay believed agriculture must be complimented by manufacturing.

John C. Calhoun

• Representative from South Carolina• Proposed bill for a second Bank of

the United States (BUS)• Supported federal funds for

infrastructure

Let us bind the nation together, with a perfect

system of roads and canals. Let us

conquer space

NATIONAL REPUBLICANS

The American System• Provide Economic Growth• Northern factory workers would

form a market for agricultural products from the South and West

• Southern and western farmers would buy manufactured products from the North

• Road Building• National Road from Cumberland,

MD to Ohio River Valley• Canals• Connect the Great Lakes and

Mississippi River to the Atlantic seaboard

• Tariffs• Protect goods produced in America

The American System• Opposition• Many Jeffersonian Republicans

argued against the use of federal money for infrastructure

• The Vote (1817)• Congress passed legislation

which enacted an internal-improvements plan

• Surprisingly, Madison* vetoes it• Madison believed allowing the

federal government to exercise powers not appropriated in the Constitution would be dangerous to individual liberty and southern interests

If we restricted the use of

money to the enumerated

powers , on what principle can the

purchase of Louisiana be

justified?

*Madison vetoes the bill on the eve of leaving the presidency

The Tariff of 1816 • Passed with the purpose of protecting American industry against foreign competition• Tariff was the first “protective tariff” in history at 20%• South opposed the tariff• Calhoun one of the few

Southerners who voted in favor of the tariff• He believed the tariff would

enable the south to develop a manufacturing center to rival New England’s.

• And tariff would be reduced after 3 years

The Second Bank of the United States• A second national bank was chartered in 1816• Powers• Issued paper money• Paid government’s debt• Open branches • Grant government loans

• Old Republicans and western settlers opposed the bank

Elections of 1816 & 1820• James Monroe is elected president in 1816 and re-elected in 1820• In 1820 Monroe essentially ran

unopposed

• Fun Facts• James is the most popular

presidential first name• Monroe is the last president

elected who had attended Constitutional Convention

• Monroe last president elected from Virginia dynasty

• Monroe is last president to dress in the “old style”

James Monroe• Era of Good Feelings• Monroe undertook a goodwill tour in 1817 to inspect

military defenses• Monroe visited every state in the nation• Personable demeanor made him extremely popular

• Monroe hoped to preside over the decline of political parties

“Never before, perhaps, since the institution of civil government, did the same harmony, the same absence of party spirit, the same national feeling, pervade a community.” ~ Washington’s National Intelligencer, July 1817

James Monroe• Cabinet• Surrounds himself with national

Republicans• John Quincy Adams (Sec. of State)• John C. Calhoun (Sec. of War)

• Despite his cabinet, he often vetoed legislation that extended economic nationalism and the American System• Believed amendments had to be

passed to eliminate all doubt about federal authority pertaining to infrastructural improvements

Panic of 1819• BUS did not regulate the issuance of paper money• Value of paper currency fluctuated

• Land speculation• Price of land plummeted• All those who invested in western real estate

lost millions

• Demand for American goods dropped off• Europeans did not buy as much

• Repayment of loans• Banks start asking for loan repayment• Farmers and businessmen could not payback

the loans• Many filed for bankruptcy

Panic of 1819• Impact• Distrust of BUS• Several southern states levy

taxes against the local branches of BUS

• Debt relief• Western states suspend collection

of debts• Kentucky establishes a state bank• Prints money and requires creditors

to accept it for payments of loans• Division within Republican Party• Growing sectionalism• North demands higher tariffs• South withdraws the limited

support it had from economic nationalism

There has been within these two

years an immense revolution of

fortunes in every part of the Union;

enormous numbers of persons utterly ruined; multitudes

in deep distress

Era of Good Feelings or Was It?