1. The “Era of Good Feelings”
( )
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?

2. Presidential Overview
James Madison
( )
Democratic-Republican
James Monroe*
( )
two terms
John Quincy Adams ( )

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

4. 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.

5. What happened between Jefferson and Monroe presidencies?
: Purchase of Louisiana, expansion of federal power—Supreme Court cases, Embargo Act
1808: Election of Madison
: trade wars, issues with foreign policy (but Americans learn diplomacy)
: War of 1812, Hartford Convention/Essex Junto discredit Federalists, growth of “nationalist” feelings

6. Presidency of James 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.

7. 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

8. Clay’s “American System” Henry Clay, “The Great Compromiser”
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)
WEST  got roads, canals, federal aid
EAST  got the backing of protective tariffs from the West.
SOUTH  ??
Henry Clay, “The Great Compromiser”

9. US Population Density
1810
1820

10. 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

11. The Convention of 1818

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

13. The West & the NW:

14. How did Nationalism lead to the beginning of the “Era of Good Feelings”?
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.

15. Panic of 1819: First major US 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

16. The Election of 1820
How does the election of 1820 show an increase in nationalism?

17. The Missouri Compromise, 1820: “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.

18. The Tallmadge Amendment
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.

19. The Monroe Doctrine, 1823
Referred to as “America’s Self-Defense Doctrine”
What warning is given to the European countries?
What foreign policy principles are established?
Monroe Doctrine
What would the US do if the warning was not heeded?

20. The Monroe Doctrine
Monroe's administration did not recognize the new republics in South America until 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)

21. Interpret: How do these cartoons display the meaning of the Monroe Doctrine?

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

23. The Election of 1824: The “Corrupt Bargain”
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
Candidate
Popular Vote
Electoral Vote
Andrew Jackson
43% 99
J.Q. Adams
31% 32
William Crawford
13% 41
Henry Clay 37

24. Election of 1824 Nationalism is being replaced by sectionalism.
All were Democratic-Republicans.
The electorate voted along sectional lines.

25. John Quincy Adams: A bulldog among spaniels!

26. 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.