Transcript The Era of Good Feelings

The Era of Good Feelings
Chapter 9-TSU
Chapter 10-HCC
Western Expansion

The conclusion of the War of 1812 allows
Americans opportunity to concentrate on:
◦ Securing the contested borders of the United
States
◦ Developing the country’s vast resources for longterm economic viability

The United States grew drastically in
geographic size and power in the years after
the War of 1812
◦ The Louisiana Purchase more than doubled the
size of the country
Western Expansion
Most of the “American West” from 18001820 was still east of the Mississippi River
 Technology lead to the development and
settlement of the frontier

◦ Railroads opened the frontier to remote
settlements and linked economic markets
◦ Telegraphs introduced a revolutionary means
of communication through Morse Code
 Telegraph lines running parallel to railroad tracks
became common in the 19th century
Western Expansion

Steamboats began to occupy the rivers of
the United States
◦ Dramatically increases the speed of shipping
◦ Lowered the expense of commercial
transactions
◦ Villages and towns form near the Mississippi
and Ohio River as a result
Western Expansion

Americans increasingly relied upon each
other in large groups to:
◦ Clear land
◦ Build houses, barns, and other forms of
shelter
◦ Establish communities

Stories from frontier explorers often
prompted large groups of settlers to
venture west in search of fertile farmland
and various other expansionist goals
Western Expansion

Often, Americans settled without regard to
national boundaries and without respect to
treaties made with Native Americans
◦ This was a catalyst for the War of 1812 as Americans
often ventured into Canada near the Great Lakes
area

The U.S. Army led by Andrew Jackson frequently
led frequent expeditions into Spanish-controlled
Florida leading the Spanish to renounce their
claim to Florida in 1819
◦ Part of the agreement was America would renounce
any claims to Texas that were stipulated in the
Louisiana Purchase
Economic Independence

So far, Americans have fought two wars with
Britain; what did we gain from each war?
◦ The Revolutionary War – Americans win political
independence
◦ The War of 1812 – Americans win economic
independence

Essentially, the War of 1812 leaves America
in an opportunistic situation in which the
country is no longer tied to Britain or
Europe for economic survival
One-Party Rule
As the Democratic-Republican Party faced
no opposition after the Hartford
Convention, the Dem/Rep party gradually
took on Federalist measures it deemed
necessary for economic expansion
 During the “Era of Good Feelings,” Congress
passed bills known as the “American
System”:

◦ The Protective Industrial Tariff
◦ The Second Bank of the United States
◦ The “American System’s” internal infrastructure
improvements
The “American System”
The “American System” was a mercantilist economic
plan very much rooted in Federalist Alexander
Hamilton’s economic plan that he promoted during
Washington’s first term in office
 Although the plan enjoyed only marginal success in the
“Era of Good Feelings,” the plan’s agenda would later
become a tenant of the Whig Party in the 1830s

◦ Henry Clay and Daniel Webster were ardent supporters

The plan later becomes known as the “Monkey
System” as Whigs often promoted sectional economic
interdependence that led to a disproportionate
amount of federal aid to one section of the country
The American System
 Tariff of 1816
 Chartering of the
Second Bank of the
United States [BUS].
Henry Clay,
“The Great
Compromiser”
 Internal improvements
at federal expense.
- National Road
The Protective Industrial Tariff
During the War of 1812, Britain began manufacturing industrial
goods at a rapid pace
 After the war, Britain attempted to sell off their surplus to the
U.S. at highly discounted rates
 U.S. factories in the Northeast were producing the same goods,
but could not compete with Britain’s discounted rates
 The tariff, which was Federalist to an extent, was passed to
ensure:

◦ Factories in the Northeast were not undercut by British imports
by imposing import taxes at a rate of 20-25%

As a result, this tariff sets a standard for how America will react
to economic competition for the next 100 years
The Second Bank of the U.S.

The Second Bank was chartered in 1816;
five years after the First Bank’s charter
expired
◦ The 2nd Bank was based on the Hamiltonian
model that was utilized with the 1st Bank
during Washington and Adams’ presidencies
◦ Virtually all the same congressmen that chose
not to renew the 1st Bank before the War of
1812 voted to establish the 2nd Bank

Why?
The Second Bank of the U.S.

The U.S. faced severe inflation and in some
cases was almost unable to finance military
operations during the War of 1812
◦ After the war, the credit and borrowing status of
the U.S. was at its lowest point since the
Revolutionary War

Without political opposition, the Dem/Reps
easily created the 2nd Bank as they realized
that central management was needed in the
aftermath of the war
◦ Ironically, the 2nd Bank’s charter was still very
Federalist in tone
The Second Bank of the U.S.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Internal Improvements
Congress passes a number of federal
subsides to establish better
transportation networks within the
country
 Roads and canals become crucial to the
development of commerce
 Better infrastructure lowered shipping
costs and subsequently linked small
farmers to larger markets

Internal Improvements

Examples:
◦ The National Road connected the Potomac
River to the Ohio River
◦ The Erie Canal connected Lake Erie to New
York City
 Completed in 1825 and made New York City
another major trading port alongside Philadelphia
 Typified how state funding would be used for
internal improvements
 Federal funding initially provided a larger percentage of the
cost than state funding
The American System:
The National [Cumberland] Road
The Erie Canal
E
E
E
1817 – 1825.
363 miles Albany to Buffalo.
Much further than any other American or European canal.
The American System
 WEST  got roads, canals, and
federal aide.
 EAST  got the backing of
protective tariffs from the
West.
 SOUTH  ??
Election of 1816:
The Demise of the Federalist Party!
James Monroe (D/R)
Elec.Vote: 183
States: 16
Pop.Vote:
76,592 (68.2%)
Rufus King (Fed.)
Elec.Vote: 34
States: 3
Pop.Vote: 34,740
(30.9%)
President James Monroe 1816-1824
President Madison’s hand-picked
successor for the executive
office
 Presided over the “Era of Good
Feelings” after his election in
1816

◦ Primarily called this because of
the Dem/Rep’s lack of political
opposition during this period

Monroe’s goal was to preserve
national harmony and expand
economically at all costs
Panic of 1819

America’s first great economic crisis
◦ This causes the “Era of Good Feelings” to end
with a screeching halt as Monroe does nothing
during the crisis

Explanations for the crisis:
◦ Growing sectional divisions within the country
led to great economic disparity
◦ The 2nd Bank of the U.S.’s closure of “wildcat”
banks
◦ America’s first experience with boom-bust cycles
common to virtually all modern economies
◦ International issues: European demand for
American food supplies declined as Europe
recovered from the Napoleonic Wars
Growing Sectionalism

Sectionalism: References the various social
structures, political views, economies, and
cultural values that hindered the notion of
a strong sense of nationalism and
federalism within the United States
◦ Economic historian Charles Beard argued that
the economic disparity that existed between
the “rich” North and a “poor” South before the
Civil War was a primary cause of the conflict
Growing Sectionalism

Most historians tend to disagree with the
economic determinism thesis today
◦ The North and South had complementary
economies that were reliant upon each other
◦ The North and South both had their share of
“economic disparity” before the Civil War
 The rich and affluent in the North pave the way for the
Gilded Age of the 1880s
 The rich and affluent in the South withstand the economic
catastrophe of the Confederacy and Reconstruction era
and pave the way for slow industrialization in the South
after 1880
Growing Sectionalism

Sections of the United States
◦ The South – experiences tremendous development
as cotton production increased (Virginia, Maryland)
◦ The Deep South – population virtually triples as
opportunists migrate from both the Northeast and
Upper South (Mississippi, Georgia, and parts of
Louisiana)
◦ The Northwest – the fastest growing region as
many young people migrated here in hopes of
better economic opportunity (Great Lakes area to
the ‘real’ NW; OR/WA)
◦ The Northeast – known for major manufacturing
development and factories, particularly the textile
industry (New York, Massachusetts)
The Panic of 1819
CAUSES???
The 2nd Bank and the Panic of 1819

Private banks in the southern and western
parts of the U.S. began printing money
without much regard to the amount of gold
on reserve
◦ Times were good while these sections of the U.S.
were selling food and other supplies to a
depressed Europe immediately after the
Napoleonic Wars

“Wildcat” banks typically issued more paper
money than gold on hand
◦ Basically, the money to gold ratio was very
skewed
The 2nd Bank and the Panic of 1819

The 2nd Bank began to forcibly close these
banks in 1818 due to increasing inflation
◦ The 2nd Bank would withdraw large sums of paper
money from “wildcat” banks and attempt to cash
the paper money in for gold
◦ The “wildcat” banks would not be able to produce
enough gold to meet the amount of paper money
presented
◦ As a result, the “wildcat” banks would be forced
into default
The 2nd Bank and the Panic of 1819
Although this practice is fiscally sound to prevent
hyper-inflation, the American people in the south
and west readily blamed the 2nd Bank instead of the
individual “wildcat” banks
 The Panic and the 2nd Bank’s actions contribute to
sectional divisions in the country

◦ The North gained a reputation as a group of rich
aristocrats that attempted to financially control the
South through the 2nd Bank
 This mentality prevails into the 1830s and 1840s despite the fact
that this was an isolated occurrence
The West & the NW: 1819-1824
Adams-Onis Treaty, 1819
[“The Transcontinental Treaty”]
The Compromise of 1820:
A Firebell in the Night!
The Tallmadge Amendment
 All slaves born in Missouri after the
territory became a state would be freed
at the age of 25.
 Passed by the House, not in the Senate.
 The North controlled the House, and the
South had enough power to block it in
the Senate.
The Monroe Doctrine

Spain’s colonies in Latin American began to
rebel against colonial authority in the early
1880s
◦ Begins a period of declining colonialism in Europe
during the 19th century


The U.S. responded favorably to the new
nations and extended support
Attempting to stave off increased
independence from colonial areas, France made
it known that they intended to fight off any
rebel nations
◦ Basically, France was attempting to pick up area and
influence that Spain was rapidly losing
The Monroe Doctrine

The United States and Great Britain did not
like the idea of French involvement in Latin
America
◦ Both countries pledged to fight (diplomatically
and militarily, if needed) against “French
aggression”

John Quincy Adams (future president and
son of John Adams) convinced President
Monroe to exert diplomatic authority by
issuing a strong piece of foreign legislation
The Monroe Doctrine

The policy which becomes known as the
“Monroe Doctrine” set out to prove:
◦ America’s growing influence in the Western
Hemisphere
◦ America’s desire for Europe to leave the
Western Hemisphere alone

Essentially, America wanted to draw a “line
in the sand” that Europe would respect
The Monroe Doctrine

The Monroe Doctrine indicates:
◦ America’s growing confidence
◦ America’s promise to Europe that they will stay out
of European affairs in the Eastern Hemisphere
 Also requests that Europe stay out of the Western
Hemisphere
◦ America’s promise to help new and existing nations
in the Western Hemisphere fight off tyranny and
colonial oppression from European powers if
necessary

This doctrine becomes the most important
document in foreign policy until the
Progressive Era (1900-1920)
◦ Also begins a long period of American involvement
in Latin America
The Monroe Doctrine, 1823
 Referred to as
“America’s Self-Defense
Doctrine”
1. What foreign
policy
principles are
established?
2. What warning is given
to the European
countries?
Monroe
Doctrine
3. What would the
US do if the
warning was not
headed?
John Quincy Adams:
A bulldog among spaniels!
The Election of 1824:
The “Corrupt Bargain”
The Election of 1824:
The “Corrupt Bargain”
Popular Vote
Electoral
Vote
Andrew Jackson
43%
99
J.Q. Adams
31%
32
William
Crawford
13%
41
Henry Clay
13%
37
Candidate
Cotton and Slavery

The Cotton Gin was
invented by Eli
Whitney in 1793
◦ Revolutionizes the
processing of cotton
by aiding the process
of removing seeds
from cotton
◦ Further cements the
necessity of cotton
production in the
South and the need
for slave labor to
continue the
economic viability of
the South’s economy
The Cotton Kingdom

A boom economy results as the demand for cotton
grows
◦ The textile industries in the Northeast, England, and
France greatly contribute to this boom
◦ Basically, the South was getting rich growing and
exporting cotton internally and internationally
To meet the demand in production, a demand for
slaves results
 Overall, the South becomes dependent on cotton
demand and slave labor to maintain their economic
viability

The State of Slavery Before 1820

Of the original thirteen colonies:
◦ 7 had become free states
◦ 6 remained slave states

States added to the Union
◦ 4 more free states
◦ 5 more slave states

Total
◦ 11 free states
◦ 11 slave states
The State of Slavery Before 1820

Why do the numbers matter?
◦ In the House of Representatives, the North had a larger
population than the South despite the 3/5’s Compromise
◦ However, no bill can pass in the Senate if the Southern
slave states band together (which they typically did)

What does this mean?
◦ An anti-slavery bill could pass in the House, but would be
blocked in the Senate
◦ A bill allowing “popular sovereignty” for slavery in all
states was dead in the water either way

Overall, the Southern states were afraid that they
could not protect their interests if another free state
was added to the Union
The Missouri Compromise

In 1819, Missouri applied for admission
to the Union as a slave state
◦ A bill was introduced in Congress that stated
Missouri could only enter the Union if they
gradually abolished slavery on a time-table
set by Congress
◦ A heated debate results over the bill and
almost forces the nation into civil war

Fortunately, Maine applies for admission
as a free state shortly after Missouri
The Missouri Compromise

The Compromise
◦ Missouri could enter the Union as a slave state
◦ Maine could enter the Union as a free state
◦ Slavery would be banned in the remainder of the
Louisiana Purchase north of the 36, 30 degree
boundary

The Missouri Compromise temporarily
saved the U.S. from civil war
◦ Thomas Jefferson remarks that this issue was a
“fire bell in the night” and had the potential to
destroy the Union
Ratio of Free/Slave States (1789-1858)
Three Faces of Sectionalism in the
U.S.
Henry Clay
Kentucky
John C. Calhoun
South Carolina
Daniel Webster
Massachusetts
Henry Clay
Westerner from Kentucky
 Interested in the West, but had a
broad nationalistic vision that helped
him draw compromise from
Federalists and Dem/Reps
 Ran a very lucrative law practice
before becoming involved with
politics
 Architect of two compromises that
save the Union from civil war

◦ Missouri Compromise
◦ Compromise of 1850

Ran for president numerous times,
but failed to be elected
◦ However, he had an illustrious career
as Speaker of the House, Secretary of
State, and U.S. Senator from Kentucky
John C. Calhoun


Dem/Rep. from South Carolina
Brilliant lawyer and studied the
Constitution thoroughly
◦ Very effective in backing his
arguments with Constitutional
theory
One of the strongest voices for
states’ rights and the proslavery faction
 A prominent voice that leads
the southern U.S. to secession
in the 1850s

Daniel Webster



Federalist and later National Republican
from Massachusetts
Rose to prominence by advocating for
Northern shipping interests
Later becomes the preeminent
Constitutional scholar on the Marshall
Court
◦ Thinks like a Federalist, but has a strong
nationalist philosophy similar to Hamilton


Well-known for his speaking and
debating abilities
He and Henry Clay worked together to
prevent civil war by promoting a strong
nationalist agenda