Era of Good
Feelings: a MisnomerIn 1815, still recuperating from war and
threats of secession, America entered into a phase now referred to
as the Era of Good Feelings. The era first started taking shape
during the War of 1812, when strident partisan disagreements
appeared to take a sideline and an intense American spirit became
nearly ubiquitous. Staunch Federalists paid the price for breaking
this spirit through talk of secession at the Hartford Convention,
when national outrage flared. The Federalist Party became
associated with treason and parochialism, and its viability was
destroyed. Subsequently, all American politics congealed around the
Democratic Republicans. For a brief period of time, their political
dominance dampened the
show more content
At the turn of
the nineteenth century, the American populace was concentrated
along the coast, but according to the population density map by
1820, modest-sized establishments of 18-45 people per square mile
had begun to spring up as far west as Missouri (Doc E). Men such as
Calhoun noted the alarming rate of Westward Expansion, and, in
accordance with the American System, advocated the further creation
of a system of roads and canals to connect the east and west and
safeguard against disunion (Doc B). This unification effort further
increased the influx of Easterners pouring into West in search of
new land with arable soil. Land sales mushroomed and land prices
increased exponentially, leading to speculative land ventures.
Uncontrolled wildcat state banks funded these endeavors, often
lending recklessly, ultimately creating a bubble. When the National
bank, observed this abuse of credit, it recalled its deposits from
the state banks. Mass foreclosures coupled with the foreign
competition that reduced the demand for American foodstuffs plunged
several farmers into debt, ruining their livelihoods during the six
year, systemic collapse, known as the Panic of 1819. The National
Bank, which had at first initiated friction between states and the
federal government because of its intrusive measures in state
economic
show more content
In 1819, the
Union existed in a precarious balance of eleven free states and
eleven slave states, with western expansion threatening to upset
it. Although the Northwest Ordinance did not define an explicit
line of demarcation between future slave and free states, the
generally lateral nature of westward expansion mitigated the need
for one. However, when the territory of Missouri applied for
admission to the Union as a slave state, crisis ensued.
Representative James Tallmadge, Jr. incited chaos when he proposed
an amendment to the bill for Missouris admission that would
prohibit the further introduction of slaves into Missouri and
mandate the gradual end of slavery. After the amendment was struck
down in the senate, several northern reform groups began
protesting. Former Federalists jumped on the opportunity to return
to politics. Southerners were equally aggravated because, as they
viewed it, slavery was a property issue, and therefore a state
issue, not a federal one. Only through The Great Compromiser,
Henry Clays uncanny ability to settle disputes, was the Missouri
Compromise reached by deciding that Maines application for
statehood would retain balance. To prevent further confusion the
southern border of Missouri, the 36º30' parallel, was established
as the demarcating line. The Compromise only temporarily cooled
tensions between the
Other samples, services and questions:
When you use PaperHelp, you save one valuable — TIME
You can spend it for more important things than paper writing.
