Nationalism and
Economic
development
The Era of Good Feelings
 The Era of good feelings ( 1816- 1824) was dubbed the
era of good feelings because of the strong spirit of
nationalism, optimism, and goodwill, due to ONE PARTY
RULE ( The federalist party was almost dead by this
point )
 The NAME however was MISLEADING, due to the fact
that there were heated debates over tariffs, the national
bank ,internal improvements and public land sales.
James Monroe
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Fought in the revolutionary war
Served as Jefferson’s minister to Britain
Served as Madison's secretary of state
Became the 5th president of the U.S.A in 1816, beating
federalist candidate Rufus king, by 183 to 34 electoral
votes and received every electoral vote except 1, in 1820
Cultural Nationalism
 By Monroe’s presidency, a younger generation of
Americans had arrived
 They cared little about European politics, and focused on
America’s western expansion
 They believed America was entering an era of unlimited
prosperity
 The nation was heavily patriotic, as revealed in its
paintings, of revolutionary heroes by Gilbert Stuart,
Charles Wilson Peale, and John Trumball
 Also, nationalistic, was literature, such as that of Parson
Mason’s fictionalized biography of George Washington
Economic Nationalism
 Tariff of 1816- Before the war
of 1812, congress lowered the
tariff, after the war, congress
raised tariffs, to protect U.S
manufacturing
 This was the FIRST protective
tariff in the U.S
 New England which had little
manufacturing at that time
opposed it. The South and the
West supported it
 Henry Clay’s American
system- Was a plan to
advance America’s economy.
The plan consisted of three
parts
(1) a protective tariff
(2) a national bank
(3) Internal improvements
 A protective tariff would protect
manufacturing, and provide a
source of income for
infrastructure.
 A national bank would provide
a national currency
 The tariffs benefited the north,
the internal improvements, the
south and west.
Economic nationalism continuation
 Two areas of Clay’s American system was already in
place, the tariff and the bank
 However internal improvements, were a subject of
controversy as Madison and Monroe both felt that the
constitution did not provide for the spending of federal
money on roads, and canals
 Thus Monroe vetoed acts of congress that provided for
funds for road building
The Panic of 1819
• The Panic of 1819, was largely caused by the second
bank of the united states when it tightened credit, to
control inflation.
 The results of the depression lead to the closing of
numerous state banks and inflation, unemployment,
bankruptcies, and imprisonment for debts
 The bank foreclosed a large amount of western farmland
 Created a backlash against the bank, and debtors’
prisons. Shook up optimistic views.
Changes in the DemocraticRepublican party
• After the collapse of the federalist party, America was
essentially under one party rule.
• The democratic-republican party however went through
internal problems
• Only a minority of democratic-republicans believed in the
ideals of limited government and strict interpretation of
the constitution, many had adopted federalist policies
such as the national bank
• In 1824 4 candidates vied for the candidacy
The Supreme court
 Despite the federalist party’s death, chief justice, John
Marshall was still alive. Appointed by James Madison in
1800, John marshal constantly ruled in favor of the
central government and the rights of property against
states rights
 Even though a majority of the court were sympathetic to
the democratic-republicans, they were often persuaded
that the constitution had created a union of states
Important supreme court cases
 Fletcher v. Peck (1810) – This case involved land fraud. Marshall
concluded that a state could not pass legislation invalidating a
contract ( This was the first time the supreme court declared a state
law unconstitutional )
 Dartmouth College V Woodward ( 1819)- This case involved a law in
new Hampshire that changed Dartmouth college from a private
college to a public institution. The supreme court invalidated the law,
stating that a contract for a private corporation could not be altered
by the state
 Gibbons V Ogden ( 1821)- The supreme court established that a
New York monopoly was unconstitutional since it conflicted with a
charter from congress. This case established the government’s
control over interstate commerce
Important Supreme court decision
2
• Mcculloch v Maryland ( 1819)- This case dealt with whether a state
could place taxes on the bank, and on whether congress had the
power to create a bank. Marshall stated that the government had the
implied power to create a bank, and that a state could not tax a
federal institution. Thus federal laws were superior to state laws.
• Cohen V Virginia ( 1821) – In Virginia, the Cohen's were convicted
of selling lottery tickets, authorized by the gov, in which the supreme
court upheld the ruling. This case established the supreme court’s
power to review a state’s court decision
• Martin V Hunter’s lease (1816)- This case established the supreme
court’s power over state courts in cases involving constitutional
rights
Western Settlement
• Many people moved to the west because of Acquisition
of Native American lands, economic pressures ( In the
north, the embargo led many people to go to the wets,
while in the south, farmers were looking for more land),
internal improvements, and immigration.
• Western states began to bargain for easy credit from the
banks, cheap land and improved transportation. The
issue of slavery was decisive, with wide agreements and
disagreements.
•
The Missouri Compromise
• Since the birth of America, politicians had attempted to
preserve the sectional balance between north and south
• Population grew faster in the north than in the south, so
that the north was allocated more seats in the house of
representatives than the south. The senate however was
more even.
• When Missouri attempted to enter the Union, many
northerners feared that the balance would tip towards
slavery
The Missouri compromise 2
• Tallmadge amendment- John Tallmadge started the debate when he
suggested an amendment, that called
(1) Prohibition of further introduction of slavery into Missouri
(2) The children of Missouri slaves to be emancipated at the age of
25
• The amendment was quickly defeated in the senate
• Clay’s proposal- Henry Clay won support for his idea
(1) Missouri was to be admitted as a slaveholding state
(2) Maine was to be admitted as a free state
(3) In the rest of the Louisiana territory, north of 36’30, slavery would
be prohibited.
Foreign Policy- Canada
• After the war of 1812, the Us Adopted a more aggressive
foreign policy.
• Rush-Baggot Agreement (1817) – Was a disarmament
deal, that severely limited naval armament on the great
lakes.
• Treaty of 1818- (1) shared fishing rights off the coast of
Newfoundland (2) joint occupation of the Oregon territory
for ten years (3)The setting of the northern limits of the
Louisiana territory at the 49th parallel
Florida
• Spain had difficulty holding onto Florida, as they
removed all their troops to fight in Florida. Many runaway
slaves, and convicts went to Florida, some would
conduct raids in the U.S and then go to Florida.
• Jackson’s military campaign- The president ordered
Andrew Jackson to stop the raids, and thus Andrew
entered Florida.
• Florida Purchase Treaty- ( 1819)- Spain worried that the
U.S would seize Florida by force. Spain therefore, sold
Florida, and its claims on the Oregon territory for 5
million dollars, and its claims on Texas
The Monroe Doctrine
• The U.S could not avoid the ambitions of Europe. Both
Britain and U.S worried about Spain’s possible return to
power in Latin America
• British initiative and American response- The power of
the British army was the strongest deterrent for Spain
not to interfere in Latin America. Britain had suggested a
joint Anglo-American warning to the European powers to
not intervene in Latin America. America responded that
it would not have Britain as a coauthor, as Adams
believed that if the U.S acted alone, Britain could not be
counted on, and that no European power would dare to
go to war in South America.
Monroe Doctrine ( continuation)
• On December 2 1823, President Monroe revealed the
Monroe Doctrine which asserted that the U.S was
opposed to attempts by a European power to interfere in
Latin American affairs
The Monroe doctrine was
supported by Americans,
but the European powers
didn’t view it seriously.
Britain was annoy as the doctrine
affected them also. However, the
European powers could not do
anything because of the British
navy
The Economy
• Population growth- Between 1800- 1825, the population of America
doubled. After the 1830’s heavy immigration followed. By the 1830’s,
1/3 of the population lived west of the Alleghany
• Transportation- Transportation was very important to the
development of a national and industry economy
Roads- Pennsylvania’s Lancaster Turnpike connected
Philadelphia. Its successful, spurred the building
of other roads. However states righter advocates
blocked spending of federal funds on internal
improvement, and therefore few highways crossed state
lines.
• Canals- The Erie canal, completed in 1825, was one of
the most important events, in that it stimulated economic
growth. Lowered food costs in the east, and allowed
more immigrants to settle in west. The economic ties
between the east and the west increased.
• Steamboats-The age of the mechanized, steam powered
travel began in 1807, with the success of the Clermont, a
steamboat developed by Robert Fulton. The Steamboat
made round trip shipping faster and easier.
• Railroads- The first railroad lines began in the late
1820’s. The early railroads were hampered by safety
problems , but by the 1830’s, the railroad had
transformed western towns, such as Cincinnati, and
Chicago into boomtowns
Growth of Industry
• By the mid 1800s, manufacturing had surpassed
agriculture in value
• Mechanical inventions helped simulate the economy
greatly. Eli Whitney’s cotton gin, changed the south
• The selling of stock also stimulated the economy as it
made raising capital easier.
• The factory system, started by Samuel Slater, helped
spur the development of factories
Labor- At first finding workers for the mills, and factories,
was a major problem, as factories had to compete with
cheap land in the west. In Lowell, Massachusetts, young
farm women began to be employed at the factories.
Many of these factories used child labor.
Unions- Unions had been in place since the 1790’s. Long
hours, low pay and poor working conditions lead to
discontent among factory workers, who wanted a
reduced 10 hour work day
Commercial Agriculture
• In the early 1800’s, farming changed from sustenance to
commercial. The change to cash crops can be explained
by cheap land and easy credit, and a flourishing eastern
market
• Eli Whitney’s cotton gin, changed the south, as the
planting of cotton became cotton. Cotton was profitable,
as it was demanded by both Britain and Northern
factories
Effects of the Market revolution
• Specialization on the farm, the growth of cities, industrialization, and
the development of modern capitalism meant the end of self
sufficient households.
• Women- Women no longer worked side by side the men. Women
seeking employment in the city, had two jobs
domestic servants, or teaching. Factory jobs were NOT common.
• Real wages did increase for urban workers, but the gap between
rich and poor increased. Social mobility did increase, and economic
opportunity was greater than that of Europe.
• Hopes for an end to slavery, were dashed by the success of cotton.