AP US History DBQ: Mislabeled “Era of Good Feelings” The “Era of good feelings” was a mislabeled period of time in American History. The overall growth and expansion of the country and the overall nationalistic view of many Americans brought about what could be viewed as a peaceful era, one of good feelings.
White men and woman rejoiced in the fact that they had strong national leaders of the republic, a constitution that was without fail, and a strong standing as the Unites States, a country.What overpowered those so called good feelings was a huge misunderstanding of what nationalism meant and how it affected the states; the rising of sectionalism. The differences and divisions in government ideas, not only of the leaders, but of the people; in that some wanted a strong central government and others wanted a decentralized government. The United States would have to face economic problems and most importantly face the role and division that slavery would play in the states. The Era of good feelings was always a political coax.
In 1816 the first party system came to an end. James Monroe was a well-liked man elected into office and brought about an era of peace and good feelings to his American people. With the termination of the Federalist Party and the ending of the war of 1812, Monroe found himself in great standings. There were no threats from an opposing party and no threats from international affairs.
That is how Monroe so easily persuaded the American people to believe that divisions and fractions did not exist after the war.It was not only that he wanted the American people to believe him but that he, himself wanted to believe that the United States, politically, could bring about and era of good feeling, or at least on the surface. The nationalist spirit seen in (Doc C) that Monroe brought about won him the election in 1820 (Doc I) showing that he was again nominated with no oppositions. If President James Monroe was so successful in office and creating such a brilliant political facade, then why was the period after the war of 1812 so inaccurately labeled? The answer is Sectionalism.
The vast differences between the North and the South brought about a sectional predicament. With the United States new expansion into western territory and proclamation of lands, the North and South feuded over slavery and if those new western lands should be slave-free or allow slavery. It was from the beginning that states had been brought into Union, so that there were eleven Free states and eleven slave states. Any admission of new states would upset the balance. This brought about a huge sectional dilemma.
With help from the government the North and South were able to solve the crisis, in what today is known as the Missouri Compromise.That of course would not be the last time the North and South would face a unifying crisis, but for the time being would serve as a temporary resolution. Sectionalism alone would not be a reason for the inaccuracy of the “era of good feelings”, but alongside it, government would play a huge role. Many people wanted a strong central government. This strong central government was wanted to stabilize and produce a strong economic system that American people could depend on. Others wanted decentralization of government, and for the American people to depend more on themselves to create opportunity to a wider range of people.
In the years following the war of 1812 many court cases that displayed both sides were brought into the picture. There was Fletcher v. Peck, Dartmouth College v. Woodward, and McCulloh v. Maryland. In McCulloh v.
Maryland the questions of congress of were brought up. That included, could congress charter a bank? And, could individual states ban it or tax it? That it shown in (Doc D) and that the decision was difficult to make. The final decisions of most of the cases brought about a control from federal government that some people appreciated and some people seriously opposed to.It was seen that the federal government could help protect economic values in American society.
Economically, the “Era of good feelings” was never really seen or viewed as a correct label, although Americans and Monroe’s presidency kept a positive outlook. That was especially difficult when the nation fell to the serious economic downfall, known as the Panic of 1819. This panic was seen as the rich becoming richer and the poor, poorer which is proved in (Doc A) Land prices soared as the prices for farm goods rose to the same level. The American Farmers sought it impossible to keep up their farms and money was becoming a huge issue.State Banks went crazy lending money and the banks fueled the land boom. This system would shortly fail.
Banks would have to tighten it up and forecloses grew to increasing numbers. That caused a six year economic depression and continuous financial struggle. The Missouri Compromise was not only the solution to the rising sectionalism between the North and South but also defined something much greater. Slavery in itself was a huge problem and would never be solved with a simple “compromise”.
Only for the time being could the North and South set aside their sectionalist ways to help keep the union ‘unified’. Doc F) gives a clear picture that the compromise would only be able to be for the moment. Thomas Jefferson states “A geographical line, coinciding with a marked principle, moral and political, once conceived and held up to the angry passions of men will never be obliterated; and every new irritation will mark it deeper and deeper. Of course the final showdown between the North and South on the issue of slavery is seen during the Civil War. The period of time after the War of 1812 was supposed to bring about a peace in the country. The Era of Good Feelings” was a label that didn’t accurately depict what was really happening in the United States, post-war.
Although James Monroe did everything in his power to make it seem as if the nation was at a point of great unification, it never really matched up to his dreams. Nationalism and Sectionalism both played a huge role in the true identification of the time period. Tear ups between North and South, and slavery really impacted the years following the war. Economically, it would never be considered a time of good feelings. The nation would never be able to be without serious division until after the Civil War.
