Download CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 8
VARIETIES OF AMERICAN NATIONALISM
Chapter Summary
After the War of 1812 a new spirit of nationalism and expansion swept the nation. Party and sectional
divisions fell by the wayside during the “era of good feelings” with a president who was determined to heal
old wounds, but this spirit of unity did not last. Sectional tensions reappeared during the Missouri debates,
which brought the issue of slavery and its expansion to the forefront. The immediate questionwhich
section would control the Senatefound resolution through the Missouri Compromise, but the underlying
problem proved more difficult to settle. The Missouri debates revealed that some of the nation saw the
addition of slave states as a threat to the Union as southern politicians (and many of their northern
counterparts) had come to equate the expansion of slavery with the expansion of southern political power.
Divisions within the Republican Party led to the appearance of a new two-party system, which temporarily
seemed to overshadow sectional concerns. With the election of Andrew Jackson to the presidency in 1828,
the nation again seemed concerned more with unity than division. How long this would last was another
question.
Objectives
A thorough study of Chapter 8 should enable the student to understand
1.
The effects of the War of 1812 on banking, shipping, farming, industry, and transportation.
2.
The "era of good feelings" as a transitional period.
3.
The causes of the Panic of 1819 and the effects of the subsequent depression on politics and
the economy.
4.
The arguments advanced by North and South during the debates over the admission of
Missouri, and how they were to influence sectional attitudes.
5.
The ways in which the status of the federal judiciary was changed by the Marshall Court, and
how the court's decisions altered the relationships between the federal government and the
states and the federal government and business.
6.
The reasons President James Monroe announced his "doctrine" in 1823 and its impact on
international relations at the time.
7.
Presidential politics in the "era of good feelings" and how they altered the political system.
8.
The frustrations experienced by John Quincy Adams during his term as president.
9.
The reasons Andrew Jackson was elected in 1828 and the significance of his victory.
40
Main Themes
1.
How postwar expansion shaped the nation during the "era of good feelings."
2.
How it was that sectionalism and nationalism could exist at the same time and in the same
country.
3.
How the "era of good feelings" came to an end and a new, two-party system emerged.
Points for Discussion
1.
Analyze the economic and political consequences of the War of 1812. How and why did the
war stimulate American nationalism and expansion?
2.
When and what was the "era of good feelings"? Why was it so short-lived?
3.
Explain the roles of John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson in the acquisition of Florida.
Why would Jackson's actions here and in the War of 1812 make him a hero in the West?
4.
What sectional crisis threatened to destroy the unity of the United States during the so-called
era of good feelings? Was the issue resolved or merely postponed?
5.
Although they were dead as a national party, the Federalists, and their political philosophy,
continued to influence American politics. Explain how the Federalists were able to continue to
make their presence known, what they hoped to accomplish, and how the ideas of Hamilton
reappeared, in slightly altered form, under the National Republican banner.
6.
How did the career of John Marshall contribute to the rise of nationalism during this era? In
what specific areas did he increase the power of the national government? Of the two political
parties, which seemed most likely to support Marshall? Why?
7.
Analyze the background, purposes, and impact of the Monroe Doctrine.
8.
Why did John Quincy Adams win the election of 1824 and lose the election of 1828? What
factors contributed to the revival of partisan divisions among Americans by the late 1820s?
9.
Nationalism was a unifying factor in the 1820s. How did this nationalism, which was so
evident in domestic affairs, influence foreign policy? What were the effects of nationalism on
American foreign policy during this period, and what forces, if any, tended to negate its
influence?
10.
How did the trans-Mississippi west figure into America’s economic growth and into the
sectional debate?
41
Interpretive Questions Based on Maps and Text
1.
What migration and settlement patterns helped determine that Missouri would want to enter
the Union as a slave state?
2.
What impact did the manner in which states were previously admitted to the Union have on
the reaction to the admission of Missouri?
3.
Why would the South accept the Missouri Compromise? What does this tell you about the
nature of the plantation system and attitudes toward the institution of slavery and its ability to
expand?
4.
What potential existed (as a result of the Missouri Compromise) for an eventual upsetting of
the balance between slave and free states? Which section seemed to gain the most from this?
5.
How did the Missouri Compromise reflect the tensions between political parties at the time,
especially tensions that were the result of the expansion of the nation?
6.
Note the states and regions that voted for Jackson and those that voted for Adams in 1828.
How do these voting patterns reflect the pre-"era of good feelings" political divisions? What is
new about this?
7.
Why did Jackson appeal to those who supported him? Consider the various interests associated
with the states and regions that supported Jackson, then explain his broad appeal.
8.
Why was Jackson unable to carry the states and regions that voted for Adams? Consider the
various interests associated with the states and regions that supported Adams; then explain
why they voted for him.
Library Exercises
The following exercises will require students to consult a historical atlas and other sources found in most
college libraries. Using library resources and the text, answer the following:
1.
Consult contemporary maps (1820s) of the Louisiana Purchase. Did Americans feel there was
much potential for settlement in the Unorganized Territory, where slavery was prohibited by
the Missouri Compromise? What evidence can you cite to support your answer?
2.
Study the section in the text on "the Great Migration." What routes did this migration take?
What impact did this have on relations between East and West?
42
Essay Questions
These essays are based on the map exercises. They are designed to test students' knowledge of the
geography of the area discussed in this chapter and to test their knowledge of its historical development.
Careful reading of the text will help them answer these questions.
1.
What impact did the War of 1812 have on America's westward movement and what demands
did this postwar movement put on the government?
2.
How did the knowledge of the geography of the West in the 1820s help make the Missouri
Compromise possible? What does this indicate about American attitudes toward the natural
limits of slavery and the plantation system?
3.
Andrew Jackson was said to be the "President of the Common Man." Assume this was true,
look at the states and regions that supported Jackson, and determine just who the “common
man” really was.
Internet Resources
For Internet quizzes, resources, references to additional books and films, and more, consult the
text’s Online Learning Center at www.mhhe.com/brinkley12.
43