The Era of Good
Feelings
 Marked by spirit of nationalism,
optimism, & goodwill
 Republicans dominated politics
 “Good feelings” actually a
misnomer
 Debates over tariffs, the national
bank, internal improvements, &
public land sales
 Slavery
 Republican party would soon split
Era of Good Feelings
• President James Monroe
• Easily won 1816 & 1820 elections over
Federalist opponents
• Notable events:
• Acquisition of Florida
• Missouri Compromise
• Monroe Doctrine
• Cultural Nationalism
• American writers & artists
• Gilbert Stuart, Charles Willson Peale, & John
Trumball
• Parson Mason Weems, Noah Webster,
Era of Good Feelings
• Economic Nationalism
• Tariff of 1816
• Henry Clay’s American System
− Protective tariffs
− National bank
− Internal improvements
• Tariff & bank passed
• Monroe thought internal
improvements unconstitutional
Panic of 1819


First major financial panic since Constitution
Caused when 2nd Bank of the U.S. tightened
credit to control inflation
– State banks closed
– Value of money deflated
– Increased unemployment, bankruptcies, and
imprisonment for debt

West hurt the worst due to land speculation
– Bank foreclosures
– Nationalist beliefs were shaken
– Westerners called for land reform & opposition to
national bank
Political Parties
• Federalists
– Failed to adapt to changing needs of nation
• Opposed War of 1812
• Hartford Convention
• Soundly defeated in Election of 1816
– No candidate in Election of 1820
Political Parties
• Republican Party
– Party began dividing due to changing times
– Some members clung to old ideals
• Limited government
• Strict interpretation
– Most Republicans adopted former Federalist
programs
• Large army & navy
• Second National Bank
– Some Republicans flip-flopped on issues
• John C. Calhoun from War Hawk nationalist to
states’ rights advocate
The Marshall Court

John Marshall

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
Marbury v. Madison (1803)


Appointed in 1800 by John Adams
Consistently favored strong central
government & rights of property
Established principal of judicial review
Fletcher v. Peck (1810)


States cannot pass legislation invalidating
contracts
First time state law ruled unconstitutional
The Marshall Court

Martin v. Hunter’s Lease (1816)


Dartmouth College v. Woodward (1819)


Established that Supreme Court had
jurisdiction over state courts involving
constitutional rights
Contract for a private corporation cannot be
altered by a state
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)



Federal government had implied power to
create national bank
States cannot tax federal institutions
Federal laws supreme over state laws
The Marshall Court

Cohens v. Virginia (1821)


Supreme Court can review a state court’s
decision involving any of the powers of the
federal government
Gibbons v. Ogden (1821)

Established the federal government’s broad
control of interstate commerce