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An Analysis of the Presidential Election of 1820
Introduction
The Presidential Election of 1820 was during a time of sincere peace and harmony within America. Previous to the election, the Federalists disappeared during the war of 1812 because they were labeled as traitors. Because of this, political rivalries and conflicts were at an all time low, and only one political party with one candidate would run for office. This period was called the “Era of Good Feelings” (MultiEducator) and was a time of nationalism and little sectionalism.
The Candidates
James Monroe, a Democratic Republican, ran for a second term and was the third and last candidate to run effectively unopposed or without any serious competition. Monroe was born in Westmoreland County, Virginia, on April 28, 1758. He was the son of a humble and lowly farmer, Spence, who was an active supporter of the protest against British control over the colonies. In 1774, Spence Monroe died and the law of Virginia states that the eldest son, James, was to inherit the land. Later that year he entered the College of William and Mary. However, studying was not a priority as he got caught up in the excitement and passion of a revolution. He dropped out of school and enlisted in the Third Virginia Regiment. Monroe was soon promoted to a lieutenant and saw many battles as an aide to General William Alexander. He was accounted for at the Battles of New York, Trenton, Monmouth, Valley Forge and Germantown. After a strenuous two years of combat, Monroe resigned and attempted to create a Virginia regiment under his command, but failed due to lack of sufficient funds (America The Beautiful).
Monroe’s Previous Political Careers
When Monroe returned from the army, he studied law with his political role model, Thomas Jefferson, who had political ambitions for individual rights that he admired. Monroe’s first public office was in the Virginia state assembly, also called the Council of State. Soon, he was elected to the Continental Congress in New York. Monroe then retired, but in less than a year was back in politics, serving in the first state assembly, and then in the state convention called to ratify the United States Constitution. He had voted against ratification because of the lack of a bill of rights but turned to support the Constitution once Virginia ratified and adopted it. In 1790, Monroe was elected to the Senate, where he vigorously contested the Federalist power of Congress.
There are thousands of years of history that have taken place. History is not like art(less subjective), but there is still plenty of room for speculation, criticism, and debate among historians, professors, as well as average citizens. However, not all these moments are documented, or done successfully specifically. Some of these moments end up becoming movies, books, or even historical fiction novels, but what about those fundamental moments that aren’t readily documented? In the book The Birth of Modern Politics Lynn Hudson Parsons claims that the 1828 election was momentous in the history of both political history, as well as our nation. Parsons not only discusses the behind the scenes of the first public election of 1828, but the pivotal events in Andrew Jackson and John Quincy Adams’ lives leading up to the election as well. Parsons succeeds in proving her thesis that the 1828 election was crucial to American politics as we know it today, as well as provoking evidence from various sources with her own logic and opinions as well.
Prior to the “Era of Good Feelings”, America was characterized as a nation where people did not recognize themselves in union but instead identified themselves according their region. During this period America became more integrated (politically, socially and economically) and a sense of nationalism prevailed. In the years following the War of 1812 America 's status on the world stage strengthened, the economy grew and became more prosperous due to the market revolution, and new forms of transportation and their improvements connected the country in ways that had not been seen before. Despite this rise in nationalism, there were also some elements of sectionalism that had existed since colonization.
As the "Era of Good Feelings" under James Monroe came to an end in 1824, the old congressional caucus system or choosing presidential candidates had broken down. Four candidates towered above the others: John Quincy Adams of Massachusetts, Henry Clay of Kentucky, William H. Crawford of Georgia, and Andrew Jackson of Tennessee. All four rivals professed to be "Republicans."
Throughout the 1830-1840’s the opposing governmental parties, the Jacksonian Democrats and the Whigs, undertook many issues. The Whigs were a party born out of their hatred for President Andrew Jackson, and dubbed his harsh military ways as “executive usurpation,” and generally detested everything he did while he was in office. This party was one that attracted many other groups alienated by President Jackson, and was mainly popular among urban industrial aristocrats in the North. On the other hand, the Jacksonian Democrats were a party born out of President Andrew Jackson’s anti-federalistic ideals that was extremely popular among southern agrarians. A major economic issue that the two parties disagreed on was whether or not the United States should have a National Bank. Along with the National Bank, the two parties also disagreed on the issue of the Protective tariff that was enforced to grow Northern industry. Politically, the two parties disagreed on the issues of Manifest Destiny, or expansion, and ultimately Slavery. While the two parties essentially disagreed on most issues, there are also similarities within these issues that the two parties somewhat agree on.
In 1774 when James Monroe was sixteen, Spence Monroe died and James was left to manage the family property. James Monroe attended the college of William and Mary in Williamsburg in the July after his father died. Monroe wasn’t very interested in college while he was there. He heard people speak against the British and he agreed that the colonies should be free. He started taking part in anti-British activities, like once he and other students raided the British governor’s palace, stealing two hundred guns and three hundred swords.
Stevens was born in Danville, Vermont on April 4, 1792. He had a very difficult childhood. He was born with a club foot and he grew up in a very poor single parent family. He was a very good student and graduated from Dartmouth College. He moved to Pennsylvania in 1816 and studied law. After he was admitted to the bar he became known for defending fugitive slaves without charging them legal fees. He entered politics in 1833, serving in the Pennsylvania state legislature as a member of the Anti-Mason party. Stevens was an avid defender of free public schools and spoke out against slavery (Sifakis). He also supported banks and spoke out against Jacksonian Democrats and Freemasons. In 1849, he was elected to serve in the U.S. House ...
1817 to 1825—a period of time that oversaw the presidency of the 5th U.S. president, James Monroe, whose term in office later became known as the Era of Good Feelings. The end of the War of 1812 and the "Era of Good Feelings" are often viewed as a time of cultural, economic and political nationalism; however during the era, the tension between nationalism and sectionalism began to rise. Issues about the tariff and the bank were constantly being fought over, inevitably dividing society. Not only had that split society, but the conflicts of slavery began to greatly rise, which created the problem of sectionalism, which led to Henry Clay’s Missouri Compromise in 1820. Many areas had differing views on slavery and voting, which only strengthened the belief that sectionalism was taking over the smidgeon of nationalism that lingered.
The "Roaring Twenties" were a turbulent time in American history. The United States had just returned from the carnage of World War I and was ready to revolutionize their ideas, morals, and most importantly, their presidents. The presidential election of 1920 was a particularly integral election due to the introduction of the right of women to vote and America's social & political unrest. Warren G. Harding, a Republican, defeated Democrat James M. Cox, on a platform that urged Americans to "return to normalcy". Normalcy was a play on words of normality by Harding, which meant to conform to the norm. But the question that stood on many historians was: Why did Americans actually vote to "return to normalcy"? The simple answer was that the nation was ready to recover from their wartime anxiety and wanted a country without financial or political stress and Harding was the president that promised that to them.
His first term’s vice president was Aaron Burr, and his second term’s vice president was George Clinton. He ran with the Democratic-Republican Party and heavily opposed the Federalist Party. Prior to his election, he had already held many positions in public office; vice president and secretary of state. Because he was preceded only by John Adams and George Washington, Jefferson played a large role in the formation of the character of the American President. For his first inaugural address, according to a reporter, “His dress was, as usual, that of a plain citizen without any distinctive badge of office.”
James Knox Polk was born November 2, 1795 in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. James was the son of a surveyor and farmer Samuel Polk and mother Jane Polk who came from the family of Scottish religious reformer John Knox. He was the oldest of four sisters and five brothers, many who died young. By the age of 10 he and his family moved to Duck River, Tennessee what is now known as Maury County. James was not a healthy youth and was diagnosed with gallstones, but had done a risky operation to get them removed. During his childhood years he only got an informal education. By age 18 he began his formal education. After attending formal schooling for two and half years Polk was permitted to go to University of North Carolina as a sophomore (Design). He had an interest in law and government by having a membership in a debating society. Graduating top honors in his class Polk returned to Tennessee to become a lawyer. To receive legal training “Polk served as a clerk for the Tennessee Senate working for attorney Felix Grundy” (Design). By the age of twenty-seven his political life began. He s...
On April 23, 1791, a great man was born; fifteenth president of the United States, James Buchanan.He was born near Mercersburg, Pennsylvania. His father, James Buchanan, and his mother Elizabeth Speer Buchanan, raised their son a Presbyterian. He grew up in a well to do home, being the eldest of eleven other siblings. His parents cared for them all in their mansion in Pennsylvania. They sent him to Dickinson College.
James Monroe, the fifth president of the U.S., ran this country smoothly with a level head. He was a slow thinker, who looked at all the possibilities before making a decision. He was a genuine person, who seemed more normal than any who came before him. Although normal, he truly had a heart for his country that only a few could mimic (American Revolution). Overall James Monroe accomplished many things before his presidency, then went on to help maintain and produce growth like the country has never seen.
Ferling, John. “1796: The First Real Election.” In Visions of America’s Past, edited by William
After the War of 1812 the people of the United States of America started to take a greater pride in their country and a nationalism rivaling that experienced during the American Revolution was felt throughout the states. After the War of 1812, the great hostilities of the Federalist and Democratic-Republican parties were broken as the Federalist Party was ruined and most of its members were absorbed into the Democratic-Republican Party. The result of this was a more unified government. Although many officials still disagreed with one another, as they were expected to, there were no longer the titanic battles that were present at the turn of the century. Because the politicians were less partisan, they were able to focus more on issues facing the nation and m...
Throughout the first half of the 19th century, and especially after the War of 1812, America has taken on yet another revolution. In this time period, the country saw a rapid expansion in territory and economics, as well as the extension of democratic politics; the spread of evangelical revivalism; the rise of the nation’s first labor and reform movements; the growth of cities and industrial ways of life; a rise in abolitionism and reduction in the power of slavery; and radical shifts in the roles and status of women.