Era of Good Feelings

1. Era of Good Feelings • Monroe’s Goodwill Tour • National Unity - Yes or No???

2. Supreme Court Rulings • Strengthened the power of the federal government to promote economic growth • McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) – Maryland tried to tax the national bank • The Court ruled that states had no right to interfere with federal institutions within their borders • Gibbons v. Ogden (1824) – New York tried to create a law to control steamboat travel between NY and NJ • The Court ruled that a state can only regulate trade within its borders. Interstate commerce – trade between states - is a federal power.

3. Economic Problems • Lack of a national bank • In 1811, the charter for the national bank ran out • A new bank was established in 1816 • Foreign Competition • Flood of British Goods • The British had better machinery and technology • British companies sold their goods for very low prices in order to push Americans out of business

4. Protective Tariffs • The British plan put many New England factories out of business • In response, Congress passed a protective tariff on all goods imported from Europe • The Tariff of 1816 raised tariffs on all imports • Southerners protested this because they did not have a lot of factories and therefore suffered from the tariff

5. Protective Tariff Without Tariff With Tariff Cloth made in America = $6.00 Tariff = 1.25 British Cloth = $5.00 $5.00 + $1.25 = $6.25 (more than American Cloth) Cloth made in Britain = $5.00

6. Clay’s American System • Tariff problem reflected the growth of sectionalism • Sectionalism – loyalty to one’s state or section rather than to the nation as a whole • Henry Clay (The Great Compromiser) wanted to promote the American System which would benefit the economies of all sections of the U.S • High tariffs on imports (Who would that help?) • More industry in the North so that money could be spent on agricultural products from West and South • Reduce our dependency on foreign goods

7. Problems with the American System • Urged that the money from tariffs be used to improve transportation to make it easier to get southern goods • However, Congress NEVER spent the money on improvements like transportation • Southerners disliked this plan

8. Three Sectional Leaders • John C. Calhoun • Spoke for the South (SC), supported the War of 1812, for slavery, opposed policies that would strengthen the federal government • Daniel Webster • Spoke for the North (NH), opposed the War of 1812, wanted to strengthen the federal government, opposed slavery • Henry Clay • Spoke for the West (KY), supported the War of 1812, favored strengthening the federal government

9. Latin America • During Monroe’s Presidency, many Latin American nations revolted and became independent. • Mexico, Great Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil • Spain was involved in protecting their colonies, so when Jackson marched U.S. soldiers into Florida, they were able to get Spain to agree to peace talks. • Adam-Onis Treaty – Spain gave Florida to the U.S. for $5 million

10. Monroe Doctrine • Countries in Europe were forming alliances and offering Spain assistance in regaining their colonies. • The U.S. and Britain opposed this idea. • Monroe Doctrine – declared the U.S. would not interfere in European affairs but warned European nations not to attempt to regain control of Latin America • Showed U.S. determination to keep European powers out of the Western Hemisphere • Britain supported this statement. • Shaped our foreign policy for more than 100 years.