University:
University of Michigan
Course:
HISTORY 261 | United States, 1865 to the Present
Academic year:

2022
Views:

453

Pages:

2
Author:

ilikemyicons0y5

Chapter 7-8 DBQ The Era of Good Feelings was a period marked with optimism and nationalism, which occurred during Monroe’s presidency, right after the end of the Napoleonic Wars. During this period, stretching from 1815-1825, the Federalist party that had dominated American politics faded away. But in fact, the period’s label of an “era of good feelings” is both fitting and not, as it was a period plagued with debate about politics, the economy, and justice. But at the same time, more political unity and optimism could be seen than ever. The McCulloch vs. Maryland case in 1824, under John Marshall’s court, defined how much power the legislative branch of the United States would have. The division of the electoral votes in the 1820 and 1824 elections displays the political unity of the period, which concentrated on the newly dominating Democratic-Republican party. In John Randolph’s speech to Congress in 1816, he states that it is unfair to go against the interests of one group of people in order to benefit the others, which was an issue during the period due to policies favoring manufacturers. In John C. Calhoun’s speech to Congress on February 4th, 1817, he states that the republic is growing at such a fast pace, that is ironically starting to be a disunion. The Era of Good Feelings began in 1815, lasting throughout President James Monroe’s two terms to 1825. After the end of the Napoleonic Wars, a sense of isolationism emerged in the United States, as the country was prospering and its citizens did not have to worry about what was happening in Europe anymore. This also led to nationalism, where people began to focus on the nation as a whole, instead of as sectionalism. The Second National Bank was chartered in 1816 after the Democratic-Republicans realized the need for a strong federal role in the country’s economy. There was debate over the constitutionality of the bank, as it was stated nowhere on the constitution that the federal government had the right to establish one. The Panic of 1819 was the first major financial crisis in the United States, causing a general collapse. This caused the nation to transition from a colonial economy to an independent economy. By 1820, there was no political party of substantial size that could even challenge Monroe during the elections, causing him to run unopposed. The Era of Good Feelings ended after a controversial election in 1824, known as “The Corrupt Bargain”, resulting in John Quincy Adams becoming president.