
After the War of 1812, America
experienced an “Era of Good
Feelings” characterized by:
 An
extremely popular president
 The emergence of a 2nd generation
of U.S. leaders
 Dominance by the Republicans
 A surge in nationalism that united
the country & improved U.S.
industry & transportation

He appointed
Democrats,
Federalists,
James
Monroe
was elected
Southerners,
Northerners
to
his
cabinet;
president
in
1816
&
1820
with
a
including Sec of State John Q Adams
clear set of goals:
 To
promote national unity
 To promote America’s power in the
world

Republican dominance of the
presidency & Congress helped
push through a series of new
laws
By 1816, a wave of new leaders
shaped the antebellum era:
 Henry Clay (Republican, KY) :
 Represented the “West”
 Speaker of the House
 Proponent of national
economic development
(“American System"
to promote industry
& markets for farmers)

By 1816, a new wave of leaders
shaped the antebellum era:
 John C. Calhoun (Republican, SC):
 Represented the “South”
 Sec of War; VP
 He was the nation's
leading proponent
of states' rights embraced nullification

 By
1816, a new wave of leaders
While
they
did
not
always
agree,
this
shaped the antebellum era:
“Great Triumvirate” of Clay, Calhoun, &
 Daniel Webster (Whig, MA):
Webster enthusiastically supported national
 Represented
the “North”
economic
development
Congressman; Sec of State
 Strong proponent of
Nationalism & strong
critic of states' rights

The Dem-Repubs traditionally
represented limited gov’t, states'
rights, & strict construction
 But, without Federalist
opposition, the Dem-Repubs
adopted many traditionally
Federalist policies:

 National economic development
 A permanent army
 Transportation improvements
 A national university in D.C.
All were proposed
bylet
Hamilton
& of
1st significant
Jefferson
the charter
opposed
the 1790s
protective
tariffby Republicans
the 1st BUS in
expire
in 1811
in U.S.
historyClay’s American System
 Henry
in 1816 proposed the creation of:
 The 2nd
Bank of the U.S. to stabilize
U.S. currency
Helped
the way
for futureU.S.
RR
 Tariffpave
of 1816
to promote
construction
Indian
removal of
industry&&western
limit the
importation
British manufactured goods
 A nat’l system of roads & canals

The “American System” helped
unify North, South, & West

John Marshall (1801-1835) used
the Supreme Court to strengthen
the power of the national gov’t:
 Exerted
the power of the national
gov’t over the states
 Rejected the claim that states could
check powers of the national gov’ t
 Affirmed the loose construction
argument of the elastic clause
Dartmouth v. Woodward (1819):
gov’t cannot interfere with
contracts between private parties
 McCullough v. Maryland (1819):
Congress possesses powers not
explicitly stated in Constitution;
Congressional laws are supreme
to decisions made by the states
 Gibbons v. Odgen (1824):
interstate commerce is power
reserved for national gov’t

President Monroe & Sec of State JQ Adams
developed a nationalist foreign policy agenda
The Convention of 1818 set the
US/Canada Treaty
border (1817):
set at theto49º
Rush-Bagot
avoid conflicts
along the Great Lakes, the U.S. agreed not to
take Canada & Britain not to invade the U.S
 Monroe
& JQ Adams turned
their attention
to assumed
acquiring
Also, Spain
Florida
Florida:would eventually be annexed
 Andrew
Jackson
took$5
it upon
U.S. agreed
to pay Spain
million
himself
to end claims
Indiantoattacks
& renounced
Texas on
Georgia from Spanish Florida
 Jackson’s military advances &
U.S. success in the War of 1812
helped force the Adams-Onis
Treaty (1819) that ceded Florida
& Oregon to U.S.
The U.S. will protect Latin
 Whenindependence
Latin American nations
American
revolted
against
Spain,
the
U.S.
The U.S. will act independently &
supported
theitsnew
republics:
will protect
sphere
of influence
 European powers disliked these
liberal rebellions & were tempted
to re-conquer them
 Monroe Doctrine (1823) warned
European nations to stay out of the
Western Hemisphere & the U.S.
will not interfere in Europe
The end of the War
of 1812 unleashed
a rush of pioneers
into the western
territories
Many settled in the West
to escape
overpopulation, rising
land prices, & worn-out
soil in the East
The 2nd BUS made credit
available for farmers to
purchase land
By 1810, 1/7th of the U.S. population lived in
rd lived in the West
the
West;
By
1840
over
1/3
Congress quickly admitted
5 states to the Union:
Indiana (1816)
Illinois (1818)
Alabama (1819)
Mississippi (1817)
Louisiana (1812)

The Era of Good Feelings started
with a wave of national unity,
but sectional disputes between
the North & South emerged &
would dominate politics for next
40 years
 Disagreed
over the use of
protective tariffs, especially when
cotton prices fell in 1820s
 Disagreed over slavery in the
western territories & states
Population was growing more rapidly in
North,
so
House
of
Reps
favored
Northerners
 In 1817, Missouri applied for
statehood as a slave state &
NY rep Tallmadge
wanted rivalries:
Missouri
revealed
U.S. sectional
only
if
its
state
constitution
provided
for
 North resented Southern control of
the gradual elimination of slavery
presidency & its 3/5-inflated
representation in House of Reps
 South feared a Northern conspiracy
to end all slavery
 Equality had been maintained by
alternating admission of “free” &
“slave” states added to the US

Missouri Compromise (1820):
 Missouri
became a slave state
 Maine (which broke from Mass)
was admitted as free state
 Slavery was banned elsewhere in
the Louisiana Purchase above the
latitude of 36°30'

The Missouri controversy
exposed a deep rift between
North & South

The “Era of Good Feelings” led
to:
 An
improved American economy
 Better transportation
 More territory & more clearlydefined borders
 A foreign policy in Latin America
 But…sectional problems between
the North & South


Both Alexander Hamilton & John
Marshall were Federalists who
believed in a strong national gov’t.
Who was more influential in
shaping American history? Explain
Which policy will be more important
in U.S. history: Monroe’s foreign OR
domestic policy?
 Essential
Question:
 How did U.S. foreign policy
change from the presidencies
of Washington to Monroe?
 RQ
Ch 10B (328-340)