The Era of Good Feelings ( )

The Era of Good Feelings After the War – US experienced “Era of Good Feelings”: – Extremely popular POTUS – New generation of leaders – Dominance of Republicans – Nationalism – united US – Improved industry & transport

Monroe as President Monroe elected 1816 & 1820 with a clear set of goals: – Promote national unity – Promote US power in the world DR dominance of POTUS & Congress – series of new laws Appointed DRs, Feds, Southerners, Northerners to cabinet; including Sec of State John Q Adams

The Great Triumvirate By 1816: – New leaders shaped era: Henry Clay (KY) : – Represented “West” – Speaker of the House – Natl econ development – “American System" to promote industry & markets for farmers

The Great Triumvirate By 1816: – New leaders shaped era: John Calhoun (SC): – Represented “South” – Sec of War; VP – Leading proponent of states' rights Nullification

The Great Triumvirate By 1816: – New leaders shaped era: Daniel Webster (MA): – Represented “North” – HR; Sec of State – Proponent of nationalism & strong critic of states' rights While they did not always agree, this “Great Triumvirate” of Clay, Calhoun, & Webster enthusiastically supported national economic development

Politics After the War of 1812 DRs traditionally represented limited gov, states' rights, & strict construction w/o Fed opposition, DRs adopted many traditionally Fed policies: – Natl econ development – Permanent army – Transport improvements

Henry Clay’s American System 1816: – 2 nd Bank of the U.S. Stabilize US currency – Tariff of 1816 – Tariff of 1816: Promote industry Limit import of GB manufactured goods – Natl system of roads & canals Unify North, South, & West Jefferson let the charter of the 1 st BUS expire in st significant protective tariff in U.S. history All were proposed by Hamilton & opposed by Republicans in the 1790s Helped pave the way for future RR construction & western Indian removal

Judicial Nationalism John Marshall (CJ ) – Exerted power of the natl gov over states – Rejected claim that states could check powers of natl gov – Affirmed loose construction argument of elastic clause

Judicial Nationalism Dartmouth v. Woodward (1819): Dartmouth v. Woodward (1819): gov’t cannot interfere with contracts between private parties Dartmouth v. Woodward (1819): Dartmouth v. Woodward (1819): McCulloch v. Maryland (1819): McCulloch v. Maryland (1819): McCulloch v. Maryland (1819): McCulloch v. Maryland (1819): – Congress has powers not stated in Constitution – Natl laws supreme to state laws Gibbons v. Ogden (1824): Gibbons v. Ogden (1824): interstate commerce is power reserved for natl gov alone Gibbons v. Ogden (1824): Gibbons v. Ogden (1824):

Nationalist Foreign Policy President Monroe & Sec of State JQ Adams developed a nationalist foreign policy agenda Rush-Bagot Treaty (1817): US agreed not to invade Canada GB agreed not to invade the US Convention of 1818 set US/Canada border at 49º

Nationalist Foreign Policy Monroe & JQ Adams turned attention to acquiring Florida: – FL had become a den of scoundrels, rogues, and rascals – Jackson ended Indian attacks on GA from Spanish FL – Adams-Onis Treaty – Adams-Onis Treaty (1819) Ceded Florida & Oregon to US U.S. agreed to pay Spain $5M & renounced claims to Texas

Adams-Onis Treaty (1819)

Nationalist Foreign Policy Latin American nations revolted against Spain US supported new republics: – Euro powers disliked rebellions & tempted to re-conquer them Monroe Doctrine Monroe Doctrine (1823) told Euros: Stay out of W Hemisphere US will not interfere in Europe US will protect Latin American independence US will act independently / will protect sphere of influence

Sectionalism in the Era of Good Feelings

Settlement of the Trans-Mississippi End of War of 1812 unleashed rush of pioneers into west 2 nd BUS made credit available for farmers to purchase land Many settled in West to escape overpopulation, rising land $, & worn out soil in the East

Settlement of the Trans-Mississippi Congress quickly admitted 5 states to the Union: Louisiana (1812) Indiana (1816) Mississippi (1817) Illinois (1818) Alabama (1819) By 1810, 1/7 th of the U.S. population lived in the West; By 1840 over 1/3 rd lived in the West

Sectional Disputes Era of Good Feelings started with national unity Sectional disputes b/w N&S dominated politics for next 40 yrs – Disagreed over: Protective tariffs (esp when cotton prices fell in 1820s) Slavery – west terrs & states

Missouri Compromise 1817: MO applied for statehood as slave state / revealed sectional rivalries: – N resented S control of POTUS & inflated representation in HR – S feared N conspiracy to end slavery – Equality had been maintained by alternating admission of “free” & “slave” states added to US Population growing faster in N – HR favored N NY rep Tallmadge wanted MO only if state constitution provided for gradual elimination of slavery

American Slave Population,

Missouri Compromise (1820) MO Compromise (1820): – MO became a slave state – ME (broke from MA) admitted as free state – Slavery banned elsewhere in the LA Purchase above 36°30‘N MO controversy exposed deep rift between N&S

Missouri Compromise,

Conclusions The “Era of Good Feelings” led to: – An improved American economy – Better transportation – More territory & more clearly- defined borders – A foreign policy in Latin America – But…sectional problems between the North & South