Do Now! Nationalism: Glorification of one’s country. Monroe Doctrine: A policy warning European nations to stay out of the affairs of countries in the Western Hemisphere. American System: A policy promoting protective tariffs and internal improvements.

EQ: What is the Era of Nationalism? The students will be able to analyze American Nationalism.

Ch7 Sec 3: An Era of Nationalism After the War of 1812, nationalism swept the country. This was a feeling of glorification and promotion of the nation.

When Congress passed tariffs, it was expressing nationalism. It used federal power to help industrialists and their workers. Henry Clay was one of the leading advocates of this new economic nationalism. He supported a federal program called the American System. This program included building new roads and canals to connect regions and help business. Henry Clay also favored reestablishment of a national bank. Supporters insisted that a national bank would reduce uncertainty about the value of money.

The Supreme Court also took measures to strengthen the federal government. In several rulings, it interpreted the Constitution in a way that gave wide powers to the government. Art and literature was also affected by nationalism. Artists celebrated the nation’s beautiful landscape. Novelists expressed pride in the nation’s immense potential.

Nationalism also affected the government’s foreign policy. John Quincy Adams, the Secretary of State under James Monroe, used the First Seminole War to expand the nation. In this war, American soldiers fought the Seminoles in Florida, which was part of Spain. During the war, General Andrew Jackson led troops into Florida and captured some Spanish forts. It was clear that Spanish control over Florida was very weak. Adams pressured Spain to sell Florida to the US as part of the Adams-Onís Treaty. The treaty also ended Spanish claims to the territory of Oregon.

Adams also formulated the Monroe Doctrine. The Monroe Doctrine, named for President Monroe, declared that European powers should stay out of the Western Hemisphere.

Despite strong feelings of nationalism, there were still differences between regions in the United States. In 1820, the Missouri Compromise addressed the heated debate over slavery. The act maintained the balance of slave and free states. The Missouri Compromise admitted Maine as a free state, Missouri as a slave state, and prohibited slavery north of 36°30’N latitude. The compromise was only a temporary solution, however.

EXIT SLIP How did the American System express nationalism?