An Era of Good Feelings 03 26 2014 Framers dreams of a non party state seems to come about in 1816 Democratic Republican party is the only party and this lasts for about a decade This period of no partisan conflict is called An Era of Good Feelings James Monroe becomes president another Virginian and former Secretary of State Has the benefit of very good economy after the War of 1812 ended in 1815 because the cause of the war was removed Europe was devastated by the Napoleonic War Federalist party disintegrates former party members sort of give up on politics but they do not give up on America Involved in reform movements public school movement Involved with the care of orphans Prison reform movements Changes within Democratic Republican party that they accepted from Federalists Well funded navy even during peace time o 10 000 man United States Army New roads o National road is chartered Bank of the United States Seminoles one of the five civil tribes Started raiding on the border Accept others to be part of the tribes would take in slaves Monroe sends military expedition to Georgia to deal with the Seminoles o Puts Andrew Jackson in charge Misunderstands his orders and goes into Florida he was only supposed to go into Georgia to fight with Indians and anyone who is supplying weapons to them Finds native American allies in the Creek Indians to help Seizes Spanish forts Captures people who he accuses of being British spies Quick military tribe which leads to execution of two spies Has support from John Quincy Adams Spanish is quivering Monroe is not entirely unhappy with Jackson s actions o Monroe offers Spain 5 million for Florida and they agree to it Treaty is ratified in 1821 Jackson is made territorial governor of Florida Good economy begins to fall in 1819 European economy starts to recover no longer need crops from America causing American economy to enter a free fall in 1820 Banks start to close Economy goes into recession border line depression Monroe runs for re election and no one stands against him despite state of the economy Americans did not blame presidents for economy Thought it was not his fault Rural country so people would not starve Neighbors could help each other out Sectional Conflict between and North and South Comes about because of Missouri o Territory in Louisiana purchase Met all requirements for statehood Member of the house of representatives threw a wrench in the plans o Missouri applies to become a slave state Would make one more slave state than there were free states Slavery was not as profitable for everyone as it had been Northerners had no need for slaves so slavery was concentrated in the south Eli Whitney coast Creates the cotton gin which separates cotton from seeds Now can grow cotton on the interior instead of just along the Still needed human labor to pick the cotton and now much more cotton would be usable quicker due to Whitney s invention Slavery will boom 1819 Missouri wants to enter as a state Compromise is reached Missouri Compromise of 1820 o Take Maine away from Massachusetts and enter as a free Missouri enters as a slave state Also no other slave states could enter from Louisiana purchase Americans thinking this would be the final compromise regarding state slavery Era of Good Feelings only lasted for a few years while the economy was good 1824 When voting is done no one has majority but Jackson has highest votes in everything and Adams has second in all Electoral college and popular vote So House of Representatives have to pick out of these two because Speaker of the House Clay has same ideas as Adams and Adams Adams immediately announces that Clay will be the new Speaker of no one has majority is elected the House 1828 Jackson runs against Quincy Adams again Jackson wins majority of electoral college and popular vote Jackson was a new Jefferson in his own mind Moderate on most issues Supported expansion at the Indian s expense John Eden is named as Secretary of War Controversial because he married a recent widow Peggy O Neil o She ran a boarding house that politicians stayed in often o She had married a naval officer Timberlane who died on the USS Constitution in the Mediterranean o The unofficial story is that he killed himself because he found out that Peggy had been unfaithful Get married 9 months after husband s death 03 26 2014 03 26 2014
View Full Document