ERA of GOOD FEELING ROLLER-COASTER by Caidence Burnette

PANIC of 1819 - Economic

8721131 — 2023-11-01 17:02:13 UTC

The recently rechartered second United States Bank tightened credit to control inflation, which caused state banks to close, banks to foreclose on Western farmland, unemployment, bankruptcies, and increased imprisonment for debt. This gave the nation a feeling of "panic" and sent the economy into a depression, shaking nationalistic beliefs and changed voter's political outlooks.

Death of the Federalist Party (1816) - Political

8721131 — 2023-11-01 17:02:23 UTC

Madison Monroe beat Federalist Rufus King in the election of 1816, and then Federalists failed to nominated anyone in the 1820 election, which meant that the Federalist party essentially vanished. There was the illusion of "unity", because only one party was left, and that represented the growing nationalism (loyalty to ones own region) in the US.

Start of the American System (1816) - Economic

8721131 — 2023-11-06 23:27:48 UTC

The American System was proposed by Henry Clay in 1816, and it supported three main ideas; One was protective tariffs, which promoted American manufacturing, and would benefit the eastern settlers. Second, it supported a national bank, which would keep the entire system running with a national currency, which would benefit the eastern, western, and southern settlers. and internal improvements, which promoted growth, and would benefit the southerners. Two out of three of these ideas were in place by 1816, and the second United States Bank was chartered, after the first having expired in 1811. Madison and Monroe opposed the idea of internal improvements, because they believed it to be "unconstitutional", so Monroe vetoed many acts promoting improvements.

Split of the Republican Party (1824) - Political

8721131 — 2023-11-06 23:28:24 UTC

There was a divide between the Republican party; some people stuck to older ideas of a small government, and a strict interpretation of the constitution, and other people adopted previously Federalist ideas, such as supporting a large army and a national bank. The split happened during the election of 1824, and was caused by many arguments within the party about the government's power and its relationship with the states.

Jackson in Florida + Florida Purchase / Adam Onis Treaty (1817 - 1819) - Political

8721131 — 2023-11-06 23:31:01 UTC

Andrew Jackson was commissioned in 1817 to stop raiders, Seminoles (escaped slaves), and white outlaws from crossing the Florida border to safety, and to follow them across the border in order to stop them. He took on the job with an extreme force and vengeance, leading a militia in 1818 into Florida, raiding Seminole villages, capturing land, and hanging chiefs and British traders who were accused of helping the outlaws. Congress feared his excessiveness and worried about a war, but John Quincy Adams convinced Madison Monroe to support Jackson. in 1819, Spain was worried that Jackson would seize Florida, and they were distracted by problems in Latin America, so they turned over all claims in Florida to the US in exchange for the US giving up Spanish claims in Texas, which was known as the Florida Purchase Treaty, or the Adams - Onis Treaty.

Good Feelings

8721131 — 2023-11-06 23:32:32 UTC

Bad Feelings

8721131 — 2023-11-06 23:32:41 UTC

Mixed Feelings

8721131 — 2023-11-06 23:55:30 UTC

Missouri Compromise (1820) - Political

8721131 — 2023-11-10 20:34:07 UTC

Missouri was the first of the Louisiana Purchase to apply for statehood, and would make the states uneven in terms of support/nonsupport of slavery, and congress wanted to balance the free versus slave holding states. James Tallmadge proposed that further introduction of slaves to Missouri should be prohibited, and that children of slaves should have required emancipation at the age of 25, but his proposal was denied. Henry Clay proposed that congress should admit Missouri as a slave holding state, admit Maine as a free state, and prohibit slavery in the rest of the Louisiana territory, which was accepted by congress.

Monroe Doctrine (1823) - Political

8721131 — 2023-11-10 21:35:09 UTC

There was a possibility of aggression by an European power, which scared both the United States and Britain because of a common interest in protecting both North and South America. The British foreign secretary George Canning proposed a joint United States and Britain warning to European powers. Monroe initially agreed with the proposal, but John Quincy Adams disagreed, arguing that if the US acted alone, that the British could be counted on to stand behind the United States policy, and that no European power would risk going to war in South America because Britain would surely beat them, meaning that there was no need to make a joint warning. Monroe decided to agree with Adams, announcing United States policy towards Europe and Latin America, declaring the United States as independent, and that it could not be considered a subject for future colonization. This angered European monarchs, and annoyed George Canning, because it applied to Britain as well. In later decades, it was considered the "cornerstone of US foreign policy".

Completion of the Erie Canal (1825) - Economic

8721131 — 2023-11-10 21:35:33 UTC

An efficient interstate transportation network was needed for moving people and goods, so a man-made canal was built. The completion of the Erie Canal in New York was a major event in linking Western farms and Eastern cities, lowering food prices in the East, encouraging immigrants to settle in the West, and creating stronger economic ties. After its success, canals were built in other states, and in less than a decade canals joined all of the major lakes and rivers East of the Mississippi.

Expansion of Voting Rights (1821) - Political

8721131 — 2023-11-10 21:35:47 UTC

Voting rights were expanded to all white men, who were given voting rights regardless of whether or not they owned land. Previously, only white land-owning men could vote.

New States (1803 - 1819) - Political

8721131 — 2023-11-10 21:36:05 UTC

The Louisiana Purchase was made in 1803 by Thomas Jefferson. Settlers were alarmed in 1802 when Spanish officials closed the Mississippi River to the US, because that was the main form of importation and exportation for the settlers. It also went against the "Right of Deposit" in the Pinckney Treaty of 1795, which gave Americans tax free use of the port. Jefferson decided to try and buy New Orleans, so that the port could be open again, and sent ministers to France to offer 10 million dollars in exchange for New Orleans. If the French declined, the ministers were told to go to Britain and for a United States - British alliance. Instead, Napoleon offered not only New Orleans, but also the entirety of the Louisiana Territory in exchange for only 15 million dollars. From this purchase, multiple states were formed, including Alabama, Missouri, and Mississippi.

Conclusion

8721131 — 2023-11-11 17:52:34 UTC

After taking a closer look at the key events from this period, I do not think that it can be called an Era of Good Feeling. There were several events that reflected positively on the future of the United States, and that made people feel a sense of nationalism and patriotism, but the entire period of time did not consist of these feelings. For example, halfway through the "era", there was the Panic of 1819, which was an extremely low depression, and could in no way be considered a part of an Era of Good Feeling. Another example of an event that represents "bad feelings" was the split of the Republican party during the election of 1824, because it caused many arguments within the party about the governments' power and its relationship with the states. There were good events, and there were bad events, and together they did form an era, but it was more so an era of mixed feelings, perfectly in between good and bad, instead of an era of good feelings. If there were an Era of Good Feeling, it ended in 1819 when the Panic began after the tightening of credit by the second United States Bank.