A Nation Grows Day 3 Era of Good Feelings
American History I SRMHS Mr. Hensley James Monroe
• President from 1816 to 1824 (two terms) – a me known as the “Era of Good Feelings” • Last Founding Father to hold high office • From Virginia, he is a Democra c-Republican • Because of Federalist collapse, he runs unopposed in 1820 Foreign Policy Challenges
• Between 1810 and 1825, Spanish colonies revolt against Spanish control • New na ons need loans, supplies – Britain and the U.S. benefit the most • “Holy Alliance” established in Europe – goal is to end all democracies • Russia claims Pacific Northwest The Monroe Doctrine
• Proclaimed by Monroe in 1823 but enforced by Britain’s navy • Europe stays out of North and South America • The U.S. will stay out of European affairs • Designed to keep Spain from trying to retake her former colonies – and to stop any future a empts at coloniza on Na onalism vs. Sec onalism
• Na onalists believe in a strong federal government • They think of themselves as Americans first • Sec onalists care more for their state than they do for the United States • They put their state’s interests above those of the na onal government The American System
• Proposed by Henry Clay • Protec ve tariff to help Northern industry (1816) • Second BUS chartered to help with loans and reliability of currency (1816) • Increased federal funding for roads and canals • Erie Canal: 1825 • Cumberland Road: 1820’s The Marshall Court
• Decisions increase the power of the federal government over states • McCullough v. Maryland (1819): states can’t block federal laws • Gibbons v. Ogden (1824): only federal government can control interstate commerce • Worcester v. Georgia (1832): only federal government can make trea es with Na ves Na onalism in Art
• “Hudson River School” refers to a group of American ar sts in the 1820’s and 1830’s • Specialized in landscapes with themes of explora on and se lement • Humans and nature coexist peacefully • First truly American art “Gridlock” on Slavery
• Senate is split 50-50 between slave states and free states • 3/5’s Compromise gives slave states dispropor onate power in the House • A empts to alter slavery never reach the floor of Congress • Gridlock –but new states are coming in! The Missouri Compromise
• 11 slave and 11 free – balance in the Senate • 1820: Missouri wants to come in as a slave state • 1820: Maine comes in as free state to balance • 36’30 line created – free in future if above, slave in future if below • Next states: Arkansas and Michigan in 1836 Missouri Compromise Map Vo ng Begins to Change
• Universal (male) suffrage movement begins a er War of 1812 • States drop property or religion requirements • Number of people vo ng grows ten-fold between 1820 and 1840 • Poli cs becomes popular • Poli cians are the “rock stars” of their day Elec on of 1824
• No poli cal par es but a three-way race • John Quincy Adams (North) versus Andrew Jackson (South) versus Henry Clay (West) • Jackson gets the most popular votes … but no one gets a majority • Elec on goes to House of Representa ves… The Corrupt Bargain?
• In the House, Clay throws his support to Adams • Adams wins • Adams then makes Clay his Secretary of State • Jackson accuses Adams and Clay of bargaining for the Presidency • The Corrupt Bargain • Jackson vows to run again Review: Era of Good Feelings
Describe Monroe’s major accomplishments as President and explain the difference between nationalism and sectionalism. Monroe served as President during an era without competing political parties – the “Era of Good Feelings”. He is remembered for his foreign policy initiative, the Monroe Doctrine, that put the Western hemisphere under U.S. protection. Clay’s “American Plan” helped bring the country closer together and the Marshall Court made decisions that strengthened the power of the federal government. However, slavery remained an area of disagreement between the North and South, as we saw in the Missouri Compromise.