the era of good feelings or was it? apush - spiconardi
TRANSCRIPT
Nationalism• After the War of 1812, America emerged with a heightened sense of nationalism• “Victory” over Britain • Westward expansion brought
optimism• Reduced sectionalism• Citizens began to see
themselves as Americans as opposed to state citizens first
• Cultural nationalism• End of Federalist led to a one
party system• “Everyone” was a Republican
The American System• The War of 1812 demonstrated that the United States lacked infrastructure and funds• Military was not properly equipped• Transportation of supplies was
difficult• Funds were limited• Fortifications needed
strengthening
• In his annual address to Congress in 1815, Madison put forth a plan to strengthen the national economy
The American System
Henry Clay
• Congressional Representative from Kentucky (Speaker of the House)• Originally against a national bank,
Clay believed circumstances had made on necessary
• Despite retaining his belief in an agrarian republic, Clay believed agriculture must be complimented by manufacturing.
John C. Calhoun
• Representative from South Carolina• Proposed bill for a second Bank of
the United States (BUS)• Supported federal funds for
infrastructure
Let us bind the nation together, with a perfect
system of roads and canals. Let us
conquer space
NATIONAL REPUBLICANS
The American System• Provide Economic Growth• Northern factory workers would
form a market for agricultural products from the South and West
• Southern and western farmers would buy manufactured products from the North
• Road Building• National Road from Cumberland,
MD to Ohio River Valley• Canals• Connect the Great Lakes and
Mississippi River to the Atlantic seaboard
• Tariffs• Protect goods produced in America
The American System• Opposition• Many Jeffersonian Republicans
argued against the use of federal money for infrastructure
• The Vote (1817)• Congress passed legislation
which enacted an internal-improvements plan
• Surprisingly, Madison* vetoes it• Madison believed allowing the
federal government to exercise powers not appropriated in the Constitution would be dangerous to individual liberty and southern interests
If we restricted the use of
money to the enumerated
powers , on what principle can the
purchase of Louisiana be
justified?
*Madison vetoes the bill on the eve of leaving the presidency
The Tariff of 1816 • Passed with the purpose of protecting American industry against foreign competition• Tariff was the first “protective tariff” in history at 20%• South opposed the tariff• Calhoun one of the few
Southerners who voted in favor of the tariff• He believed the tariff would
enable the south to develop a manufacturing center to rival New England’s.
• And tariff would be reduced after 3 years
The Second Bank of the United States• A second national bank was chartered in 1816• Powers• Issued paper money• Paid government’s debt• Open branches • Grant government loans
• Old Republicans and western settlers opposed the bank
Elections of 1816 & 1820• James Monroe is elected president in 1816 and re-elected in 1820• In 1820 Monroe essentially ran
unopposed
• Fun Facts• James is the most popular
presidential first name• Monroe is the last president
elected who had attended Constitutional Convention
• Monroe last president elected from Virginia dynasty
• Monroe is last president to dress in the “old style”
James Monroe• Era of Good Feelings• Monroe undertook a goodwill tour in 1817 to inspect
military defenses• Monroe visited every state in the nation• Personable demeanor made him extremely popular
• Monroe hoped to preside over the decline of political parties
“Never before, perhaps, since the institution of civil government, did the same harmony, the same absence of party spirit, the same national feeling, pervade a community.” ~ Washington’s National Intelligencer, July 1817
James Monroe• Cabinet• Surrounds himself with national
Republicans• John Quincy Adams (Sec. of State)• John C. Calhoun (Sec. of War)
• Despite his cabinet, he often vetoed legislation that extended economic nationalism and the American System• Believed amendments had to be
passed to eliminate all doubt about federal authority pertaining to infrastructural improvements
Panic of 1819• BUS did not regulate the issuance of paper money• Value of paper currency fluctuated
• Land speculation• Price of land plummeted• All those who invested in western real estate
lost millions
• Demand for American goods dropped off• Europeans did not buy as much
• Repayment of loans• Banks start asking for loan repayment• Farmers and businessmen could not payback
the loans• Many filed for bankruptcy
Panic of 1819• Impact• Distrust of BUS• Several southern states levy
taxes against the local branches of BUS
• Debt relief• Western states suspend collection
of debts• Kentucky establishes a state bank• Prints money and requires creditors
to accept it for payments of loans• Division within Republican Party• Growing sectionalism• North demands higher tariffs• South withdraws the limited
support it had from economic nationalism
There has been within these two
years an immense revolution of
fortunes in every part of the Union;
enormous numbers of persons utterly ruined; multitudes
in deep distress