Era of Good feelings and the
Monroe doctrine
Mr. Fredrickson
Era of Good Feelings
• After the war of 1812 a wave of nationalism
swept the country
• James Monroe became president in 1816
• Monroe attempted to create national unity;
this time became known as the “Era of Good
Feelings”
Sectionalism
• Loyalty to ones state or section rather than
the country
• North, South, West
Calhoun of the South
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Leader: John C. Calhoun
War hawk
Defended slavery
Opposed strengthening the federal
government
Webster of the North
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Leader: Daniel Webster
Opposed war of 1812
Opposed slavery
Wanted strong national government
Clay of the West
• Leader: Henry Clay
• War hawk (leader)
• Supported strong federal government
Protective Tariff
• English merchants were selling goods for les
than the production cost in the hopes of
driving American rivals out of business
• The protective tariff was a tax on all goods
imported from Europe
• Protected the countries industries from
foreign competition
Clay’s American System
• Called for tariffs on imported goods benefiting
northern factories
• With the money from industry northerners
would buy farm products from the West and
South
• Hoping to reduce American dependence on
foreign goods
American System Continued
• Congress was supposed to use money from
tariffs to build roads, bridges, and canals
• This would make it easier and cheaper for
farmers in the south and west to move goods
to city markets
• Congress spent very little on these internal
improvements
Adams-Onis Treaty
• 1821
• Spain Ceded Florida to the U.S. for $5 million
• U.S. gave up claims to land in what is now
Texas
The Monroe Doctrine
• Part of a message to congress in 1832
• President Monroe declares:
– U.S. will not interfere with affairs in European
Nations or existing colonies of European Nations
– European nations were to not attempt to regain
control of newly independent nations of Latin
America
Monroe Doctrine continued
• U.S. would oppose any attempts to build new
colonies in Americas
• Britain supported the doctrine and helped
enforce it with their navy
• The Monroe Doctrine was American foreign
policy until W W I
American
Uncle – “the bars will stand as long as you are good”