ch 9 10_era of good feelings
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The Era of Good Feelings
Chapter 9
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 long-
term 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 1800-1820 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 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
Election of 1816
James Monroe (D/R)
Elec. Vote: 183States: 16Pop. Vote:76,592 (68.2%)
Rufus King (Fed.)
Elec. Vote: 34States: 3Pop. Vote: 34,740 (30.9%)
President James Monroe
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 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 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
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 ClayKentucky
John C. CalhounSouth Carolina
Daniel WebsterMassachusetts
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 pro-slavery 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
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