Era of Good Feelings US History

American Nationalism After the War of 1812, a strong sense of pride in the US swept the nation Era of Good Feelings: America flourished economically

America’s Favorite Sons (aka the Great Triumvirate) John C. Calhoun From South Carolina War Hawk Held many political offices, including Vice President under Andrew Jackson Known for his strong support of states’ rights (ex. Nullification & slavery)

America’s Favorite Sons (aka the Great Triumvirate) Daniel Webster From New Hampshire (north) Spokesman for modernization, industry, and banking Held many political positions (one of greatest Senators of all time) Great orator; argued many cases before the Supreme Court

America’s Favorite Sons (aka the Great Triumvirate) Henry Clay From Kentucky Held many political positions Known as “The Great Compromiser”

Economic Nationalism Federal government put in place protective tariffs to encourage people to BUY AMERICAN Really hurt Southern farmers who traded significantly with European nations Tariff came to be called the “Tariff of Abominations” by Southerners

Judicial Nationalism McCulloch v. Maryland Gibbons v. Ogden Said state of Maryland couldn’t tax the National Bank Established “Necessary & Proper Clause” Established the basis for the expansive authority of Congress (Sup Ct said Congress could do more than the Constitution specifically allows it to do) Gibbons v. Ogden Gave the federal government control over interstate commerce (trade between states)

Nationalist Diplomacy Andrew Jackson invaded Florida Spanish controlled Haven for runaway slaves Seminoles were violent Destroyed several Seminole villages, seized Spanish settlements, and removed Spanish governor from power (wasn’t authorized to do these things) Adams-Onis Treaty of 1819 Spain gave all of Florida to the US Finalized western border of Louisiana Territory

James Monroe From VA (Westmoreland Co.) 5th POTUS Serves 2 terms (1817 – 1825) POTUS of the Era of Good Feelings

Monroe Doctrine Told European powers to stay out of the Western Hemisphere Upheld Washington’s policy of avoiding entanglements in European power in European power struggles

Early Industry Roads & Turnpikes National Road Construction started in 1811 Started in Cumberland, MD and ended in Vandalia, Illinois (ran out of money)

Early Industry Transportation Canals Steamboat allowed for faster & cheaper trade By 1840, US had 3,300 miles of canals connecting the country Most famous – Erie Canal (allowed for trade from Atlantic Ocean to Great Lakes – made Chicago a booming city) Steamboat invented by Robert Fulton 1st – the Clermont (steamed 150 miles up the Hudson River from NY in just 32 hrs)

Early Industry Trains Developed in early 1800s Tom Thumb was the first American locomotive Transformed the nation Allowed people and goods to move quickly from city to city Allowed business owners, farmers, etc. to buy items from other cities

Immigrant labor built the railroads

Early Industry Technological Advances Eli Whitney Samuel F. B. Morse Cotton Gin (pulled seeds out of cotton, still had to pick it, but didn’t have to separate it) Interchangeable parts (machines were made of multiple pieces that could be replaced instead of replacing the whole machine; ex. Guns) Samuel F. B. Morse Invented the telegraph in 1832 and developed Morse Code, both for sending messages

Life in the North New inventions and advancements in transportation spurred more people to move to northern cities Cities became overcrowded (overcrowding leads to unemployment leads to poverty leads to crime) People worked very long hours under poor conditions

Life in the North City streets were filled with animal waste, garbage, etc. Until the 1850s, many cities did not have schools, and school was not mandatory Haven for runaway slaves and free blacks; many became dock workers and sailors in New England, and carpenters, shoemakers, preachers, and school teachers in the Middle states

Life on the Farm (South) Agriculture remained the leading economic activity in the US – helped feed the country (north and south) Southern farmers first produced tobacco, then corn and wheat, and cotton Very hard work; all members of the family contributed

Cotton Becomes King Invention of the cotton gin allowed farmers to produce much more (1,000 lbs per day with little expense) By the 1840s, the US was the world’s greatest supplier of cotton

Society in the South Slaveholding in the South (based on population of all free men) Non-slaveholders: 64% Owning 0 – 4 slaves: 18% Owning 5 – 49 slaves: 15.5% Owning 50 or more slaves: 2.5% Owning 500 or more slaves: 11 families

Society in the South Planter class (smallest class; 37,000 people) wealthy families that owned large plantations Less than 0.5 percent (half of one percent) of white Southern families (over two percent of total population) Yeoman class (largest class; 62% of Southern pop.) Ordinary farmers and southern poor Most did not have slaves, but the ones that did had one or two that lived with them Slaves (3.6 million blacks in the South; 93% enslaved = 37% of Southern pop.)

Slavery The Task System: The Gang System: workers were given a specific set of jobs to accomplish everyday, and then they could spend the rest of the day as they chose Some became artisans and sold goods; some cultivated gardens for extra food The Gang System: Developed after cotton gin invented and need for cotton grew Large groups of people were given specific tasks; someone from group was appointed the leader or foreman)

Slavery Distribution of slave labor (after cotton gin) 55%: Cotton 15%: Domestic Servants (in charge of house keeping, cooking, watching the children) 10%: Tobacco 10%: Construction, Lumbering 10%: Rice, Sugar

Slavery Women: Children: Had to do the same jobs as men, but were more likely to be domestic servants Older women were usually in charge of caring for the children of other slaves Children: Children were allowed to play, usually with the children of the plantation owner, but also had chores

Free African Americans By 1850, 225,000 free blacks resided in the South, most living in cities (specifically New Orleans), and Maryland and Virginia Some had been indentured servants (chose to come from Africa) in the 1700s, and so their descendents were free Some won freedom fighting in Am. Revolution Some had been granted freedom from slave owners Some had bought their freedom and become slave owners themselves

Missouri Compromise (1820) Split the country in half (slave states vs free states) Missouri entered union as a slave state Maine entered union as a free state Started the controversy of sectional balance