The So-Called Era Of Good Feelings

The Second War for Independence and the Upsurge of Nationalism
1. On to Canada Over Land and Lakes
1. The War of 1812 was very divisive to America. Sections were staunchly for it or against it. Generally, the West and South were for the war, the Northeast was hotly against it.
2. In many ways, the war was very disorganized.
1. Loaded with naive ambition of easily gaining lands, the Americans attacked "On to Canada!" The attack was poorly planned and poorly executed by poor generals. The Americans lost.
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1. In hindsight, taking Montreal would have made the rest of the cities wither away.
2. Instead, the Americans attacked Detroit, Niagara, and Lake Champlain, losing each battle.
3. The Canadians did quite well. They defended their
The opponents' complaint was that since these things were not in the Constitution, they should be left up to the states (10th Amendment). They took a "strict constructionist" approach.
2. This foreshadowed future similar disputes and even the debate over slavery.
3. Some states went ahead and make their own improvements. Notably, New York dug the Erie Canal, completed in 1825.
8. The So-Called Era of Good Feelings
1. James Monroe was elected president in 1816. The Federalist party vanished. This was called the Era of Good Feelings because…
1. There was only one political party (Republicans)—supposedly, the nation was united rather than split.
2. There was an upsweep of nationalism after the war.
2. However, seeds of sectional troubles were planted, such as…
1. The South did not like the tariff saying it only benefited the North and made the South pay higher prices.
2. The South disliked the internal improvements linking the North and West. The South didn’t see any benefits in paying taxes for roads and canals in other states.
9. The Panic of 1819 and the Curse of Hard Times
1. An economic panic struck in 1819. This quieted the "Good Feelings" as hard times set
A rash of Latin revolutions swept through South America at this time as the spirit of liberty spread. Andrew Jackson decided to seize the moment.
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1. Jackson got the okay from Congress to enter Florida, capture run-away slaves, and punish the Indians.
2. Jackson took matters into his own hands and took over. A few leaders were hanged (Indian and English) and two Spanish posts were taken in the panhandle. The Spanish governor escaped.
3. Although Jackson had over-stepped his orders, John Quincy Adams wasn't going to give up what was in his hand.
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1. The "Florida Purchase Treaty" was made with Spain. In it, (a) America paid $5 million and got Florida, (b) Spain gave up a claim to Oregon and America gave up a claim to Texas, and (c) the southern limit of Oregon was set at 42° latitude.
16. The Menace of Monarchy in America
1. After the chaos of the French Revolution Napoleon's empire, Europe wanted to get back to the old days of monarchy. They reasoned: democracy brought chaos, monarchy brought order.
1. Steps were taken in Europe for the monarch and aristocrats to re-assert their control.
2. This worried Americans—their reach just might come across the Atlantic to the Americas.
2. On this matter, Russia would be the European nation that first got America's