Era of Good Feelings

Historians have traditionally labeled the period after the War of 1812 the "Era of Good Feelings". The "Era of Good Feelings" was during James Monroe presidency. This "Era" saw the emergence of both nationalism and sectionalism. Nationalism such as the goodwill tour Monroe took in 1817 and the Monroe doctrine helped to unite the country. Sectionalism like the conflict over slavery and the Panic of 1819 divided the country.

Nationalism in this period after the War of 1812 increased because the Americans were proud that they had been able to defend themselves and they boast "Not one Inch of Territory Ceded or Lost". (C) Important battles like the battle of New Orleans also boosted the spirit of nationalism. Many even considered the War of 1812 "The Second War for American Independence".

With the dieing of the Federalist Party this left the nation with a one-party rule. (I) The goodwill tour that James Monroe undertook in 1817 further boosted nationalism. On the tour he went deep into New England even though this was the federalist territory. But even in New England he received a warm welcome. There was even judicial nationalism; like in the case of McCulloch v Maryland when John Marshall ruled that Maryland did not have the power to tax the Bank of the United States. (D) The American System was a plan created by Henry Clay and had three parts, which were a strong banking system, protective tariffs, and networks of canals and roads. (B) This plan was meant to bind together all parts of the country both politically and economically.

Nationalism also grew out of the United State involvement with other country. When the British Foreign Secretary George Canning approached the American minister in London with the proposition that there two country join together in a joint declaration warning other European countries to keep away from the Latin American Republic. The Americans were weary of this because why would the British with their strong navy need the United States. (H) Adams told Monroe to not except this proposal and the Monroe doctrine was created.

Sectionalism began to emerge. One of the biggest issues that drove a wedge between the states was the issue of slavery. (G) When Missouri came to congress and asked to be admitted as a slave state, it upset the northern states, which were free states and didn't allow slavery. In order to stop Missouri from becoming a slave state they proposed the Tallmadge Amendment, which said that no more slaves should be brought into Missouri and that the kids of the slaves would be free. The south saw the Tallmadge Amendment as a threat to the sectional balance and they feared that the free states of the north would soon get more power in the government. To resolve this issue the Missouri Compromise was created. (F) Missouri would enter the union as a slave state and Maine would be a free state, which would keep the balance of