Download The Era of Good Feelings

The Era of Good Feelings
1817-1825
Election of James Monroe
 Election of 1817- James Monroe elected as 5th President
 Symbol of the era
 Fought in the revolution- wintered at Valley Forge
 Served as a minister to both France and Britain
 Served as both Secretary of State and War during the War
of 1812
 His presidency is known as a time of political peace
 Monroe hoped for a country without political parties
 Collapse of the Federalist party
Political Values and Changes
 Despite rivalry, Republican party adopted many
Federalist policies during this time.
 Second National Banks- stabilize currency, protective tariff,
 Internal improvements- transportation(roads, canals, etc.)
 Standing army- 20,000 men.
 Trying to fix the problems that almost allowed the British to
win the War of 1812
 Henry Clay- Kentucky
 War Hawk
 “American System”- economic plan for the federal
government to protect American industry
Finances…again
 Inflation- more money in circulation, less precious metal
backing up each note. More money is needed to
represent the same value.
 To Finance the War of 1812, private banks issued notes and
loans for more than they had in gold and silver
 Ex. One Rhode Island Bank issued $580,000, but only had
$86.40 in gold and silver to back it up.
 Temporary default and bankruptcy during the War, led to
the creation of the 2nd National bank, hoping to lend
stability
American Industry
 War of 1812 pushed Americans to manufacture more
here, instead of importing from other nations
 However, at the end of the War, English goods flooded
the market, selling goods below their actual value as a
way to damage American industry
 Protective Tariff instituted to allow young American
industry to compete
In the Supreme Court
 John Marshall (ambassador under John Adams to
France)- Chief Justice
 Important Decisions
 Marbury v. Madison- (1803) established right of the court to
declare acts of Congress unconstitutional
 McCullough v. Maryland-(1819)- established the
constitutionality of the National Bank
 Established that the Supreme Court had authority over
the federal and state governments to declare actions
and laws unconstitutional.
Expansion
 After the War of 1812, explosion of expansion- 5 states
are admitted to Union
 Louisiana- 1812
 Indiana- 1816
 Mississippi- 1817
 Illinois- 1818
 Alabama- 1819
 Improvements in transportation became necessaryroads and canals
 Much argument over where would get the improvements
and the Constitutionality
Foreign Affairs
 1815- Ended raids by the Barbary pirates of American
shipping in the Mediterranean
 1817- Resolve unfinished issues with Britain- boundary with
Canada, ships on the Great Lakes, Oregon territory
 1817- Concern over Florida- still under Spanish control
 Pirates, slaves, and native Americans would use Florida as a
base for raiding Georgia
 Andrew Jackson- sent to punish Indians, instead, destroyed
villages, overthrew governor
 Uproar in Washington- John Quincy Adams (secretary of state)
told Spain they needed to police Florida better or give it to the
United States
 Decided it was inevitable, sold Florida for $5 million in damages
The Monroe Doctrine
 Worried that European powers (Spain, Russia) would
attempt to retake old colonies
 Monroe issues a statement, saying that the Western
Hemisphere is closed to further European colonization,
and that the US would oppose any action to establish
colonies- became known as the Monroe Doctrine
Exit Ticket- answer the following
questions on a separate sheet of
paper
 The Monroe Doctrine- Good or bad?
 Did we have the right to make this statement?
 What would the consequences be if we hadn’t?
 What would you have done?