After the war of 1812, the period that followed was viewed as an “Era of Good Feelings”, mainly because of the emergence of one national party-the Republicans-and the growth of nationalism and a feeling of pride and national unity. However, this title was not correct for this time period, as sectionalism-the idea of being more concerned with the interests of you particular group or nation that with the interests of the larger group or country- began to grow and outweigh the nationalists-those who were loyal and proud to and believed of the importance of their country. Sectionalism brought with it tensions and conflict between the North and South, especially over tariffs, the National Bank, and slavery, which suggested that this era was not entirely full of “Good Feelings”. After the war of 1812, the United States saw a nationalist spark begin to ignite. The emergence of nationalism was largely due to the Hartford Convention and the federalists’ call for secession from the union. With the end of the war, the Federalist Party diminished and the Republican Party emerged with no opposition. Feelings of pride, national unity, and patriotism were evoked, as seen in a picture depicting Fourth of July festivités in Philadelphia in 1819 (Doc C). Just as the Fourth of July celebration illustrates nationalism, the diary of secretary of state John Quincy Adams did as well. He implored and suggested that the United States take a firm stand against Britain and Spain, Russia and Prussia (Doc H). President Monroe was concerned that the United States not appear subordinate to Britain. In 1823 the Monroe Doctrine was proclaimed, and asserted the authority of the United States. As well as having fears that the United States not appear subordinat... ... middle of paper ... ... secretary of state. The southern states, who were Jacksonian supporters, were subsequently outraged and furious. They claimed it was unfair and classified it as “corrupt”. This drove a greater wedge between the southern states and the northern states, who had favored Adams. This political event epitomized sectionalism and discredits the notion that this time was an “Era of Good Feelings”. Whereas Nationalism did emerge following the war of 1812, it was quickly squashed down and overshadowed by the growing sectionalism and tension in the United States. Tariffs, the National Bank, and slavery all played a role in further dividing the nation and securing that sectionalism would prevail. Even though the period was traditionally labeled as the “Era of Good Feelings”, it was anything but, thanks to the emergence of sectionalism and the division of the North and South.
After the war of 1812, there was a strong sense of nationalism since the young United States had won a war against the powerful British Army. However, the loss of thousands of southern slaves and the British embargo led both the north and the south to lament over the cost of the war. The time period from 1815 – 1825 that some historians call the era of good feelings was not as positive a time period as the title implies; factions ran rampant on the verge of causing an implosion for our country’s political system.
The Civil War era divided the United States of America to a point that many Americans did not foresee as plausible throughout the antebellum period. Generating clear divisions in even the closest of homes, the era successfully turned businessmen, farmers, fathers, sons, and even brothers into enemies. Many historians would concur that the Reconstruction Era ushered in a monumental turning point in the nation’s history. The common rhetoric of what the Reconstruction Era was like according to historians is that it was a euphoric era. Those same historians often write about the Reconstruction Era as a time of optimism and prosperity for African Americans. Attempting to illustrate the era in a favorable light, they often emphasize the fact that African Americans had gotten the emancipation that they were fighting for and they were free to create a future for themselves. Jim Downs, author of Sick From Freedom African-American Illness and Suffering during the Civil War and Reconstruction, is not like those historians at all. Downs takes a completely different approach in his book. He asserts that both the Civil War Era and
The Era of Good Feelings was the name applied to the period in the United States corresponding with the term of President James Monroe, following the war of 1812. Shortly after he was put into office, his term was known as the Era of Good Feelings. However, it is clear that the Era of Good Feelings was mislabeled because although there was still a sense of nationalism, it was overshadowed by sectional conflict over the second bank, the tariff, and the demand for slavery.
There has been a great deal of controversy between the interpretations of the war of 1812, also know as, “the forgotten war.” Some say it’s the efforts of James Madison to try and measure up to great leaders like Abraham Lincoln, Woodrow Wilson, of Franklin Roosevelt. But, was this really because of James Madison’s own pettiness or because of miscommunications between countries? One war or another, this war was to lead us towards independence, but some historians might not agree on the easy answer, but go deeper into the source of the war and its effects in America.
After the Declaration of Independence was signed the colonies felt like they had written down what they needed to in order to declare themselves independent states from Britain. While not calling themselves a unified country, they did know that on their side, the tie was formally broken between them and Britain. Due to this Britain obviously saw this as treason in all lights, and sent troops, and fleets over to combat this “revolution.” This Declaration paved way for a new country to be formed, which would obviously later become the United States of America. The whole idea of now being separate from Britain gave the colonists a sense of “nationalism”(if you could call it that because they are still separate states) that they are no longer tied to the “shackles” of Great Britain.
The 1920’s is sometimes referred to as the “Roaring Twenties,” or “The Era of Wonderful Nonsense.” The nonsense this phrase is referring to is the style and boldness of the new kind of rebel: the flapper. In the 1920’s the flappers shocked everyone and set the path for other people who yearned to stand out and be different. The flappers certainly contrasted the generation before them, but that did not happen overnight.
The Era of Good Feelings was a time of prosperity and national pride. However, every good thing always has its disadvantages. Most importantly, slavery was a big issue in both the North and the South. Northerners usually had few or no slaves, while Southerners relied heavily on slave labor in order for their cash crops to thrive. Disputes had already arisen and the topic was hotly debated all over the country. Although the Missouri Compromise seemed like a good idea in the beginning, it was a terrible decision and only made matters much worse than they had been before.
“The Era of Good Feelings”, is marked by the beginning of James Monroe’s first term as president and is said coincide with his presidency. With the end of the War of 1812, the people of America began to feel optimistic and for the first time unified as a nation. With America’s continued to growth and development, we see an increase in nationalism among the people that defines this time as “The Era of Good Feelings”. These years can also be seen as a time of political cooperation and as Charles S. Sydnor describes it, “a single-party situation… when the Federalist organization disintegrated after the War of 1812”(439). However, this nationalism that unified the country, also blinded them from the problems and debates that were occurring during a time of what most believed to be a time of peace and harmony. The term “The Era of Good Feelings”, can therefor be misleading when looking at the actual events of this time period.
Sectionalism in the early eighteen hundreds was much like the East Coast and West Coast feud in the 1990’s. In the 1800’s the issue over slavery was dividing America into two, the North and the South. The North did not think slavery was right, the South did, and they wanted slavery to continue. The constant fighting over the issue of slavery increased as the decade went on. The result of this feud was the Civil War, that broke out in April 1861. The war lasted four long years, with many casualties, and relationships between states that would take a great amount of time to ...
In the 1800s, America was a young country going through many developments, one of such was nationalism Vs Sectionalism. But at the end sectionalism overcome nationalism to dominate the economic and political culture.
Throughout the Era of Good Feelings there was a moral high among Americans, although their was some animosity among political parties, the government took part in many acts that insured a healthy American spirit. For example, The American System, originally named ‘The American Way’, was an economic plan, introduced by Henry Clay, that involved a national bank to foster commerce,
In studying about the history of our Nation, the great divide between the North and South in the midst of the American Civil War is one of the greatest controversies our country has endured. The division between North and South, the Union and the confederate, took a lot out of our country. By the 1850’s the Nation had endured many things, the Missouri Compromise, Dredd Scott decision, and the passing of the Fugitive Slave Law, it was during the 1850’s that the Northern States expressed their opposition towards slavery.
During the Nationalism era, it was all about the pride and patriotism. The song “God Bless The USA” and the speech “The Crisis NO, 1” show the pride and patriotism of the nation. This era was amongst many that inspired American Literature then and
The American Revolution (1765-1783) was an armed conflict that saw colonists reject Great Britain's rule, culminating in the United States' independence. On the other hand, the American Civil War was (1861 to 1865) an internal conflict pitting the Union against the secessionist states, ending in the abolition of slavery. The origin of the two conflicts had their roots in various factors. This essay evaluates whether the wars were fought for economic or moral reasons. The essay asserts that the two wars had their roots in economic factors as the antagonists sought to protect and advance certain economic interests.
The era of good feelings was a political period in the United States of America that was characterized by a sense of togetherness and love for the nation. This era was fueled by the delight of having won in the Napoleonic war. It is generally referred to as being the ‘era of good feelings’ to denote at time in history when the Americans developed a sense of nationalism and pride as well as love for their country. The period occurred in the wake of 1812 after an infamous war where America won. The period was characterized by political good will. The era of good feelings is associated with James Monroe who was became the president of the United States of America back in 1816[1]. The wave of nationalism strengthened the social fabric of the American population a great deal. The American success in the Napoleonic wars made America to re-establish a sense of belongingness and identity. Political misunderstandings declined gradually and America became an ideal country for all.