The Era of Good Feelings

Learn about the Era of Good Feelings and key US history events!

The Second War of Independence and its Effects After the War of 1812, Great Britain finally recognized America as an independent nation and gave up its hope on recolonizing the land. James Monroe, a veteran of the Revolutionary War, a congressman, governor of Virginia, ambassador, Secretary of State, and Secretary of War was easily elected as the fifth president. He was a member of the Democratic-Republican Party. He helped globalize the United States of America and strongly supported independence movements of Latin American countries in South and Central America. He opposed a strong European presence in the western hemisphere. His presidency became known as the Era of Good Feelings. America was expanding and gaining more territory, was becoming more powerful throughout the world, our economy was improving and we were building more factories, and we improved transportation by building more roads and canals. A Growing Nation: Lands in the West Since the western border of America now extended to the Rocky Mountains and included the Louisiana Territory, lands in the territory began to apply to become states in the union. In 1820, Missouri wanted to be added to the Union and wanted to allow slavery. This would cause slave states to outnumber the free states in America. This would mean that slave states had more congress members and would have more power in Congress, making it easy to pass pro-slavery laws!Henry Clay, a senator from Kentucky, came up with the Missouri Compromise. Missouri would be allowed to join as a slave state. Maine would be added as a free state. Maine was the upper part of Massachusetts and became its own new state.A line was created to divide the country into land that allowed people to own slaves and land that outlawed people from owning slaves. This was called the Missouri Compromise line. All land below the line allowed people to own slaves and all land above it did not (except Missouri).Answer the questions below and make the correct markings on the Missouri Compromise Map. Make sure to use capital letters for first and last names! The Missouri Compromise Map On the blue tabs below, mark state admitted as a free state as "Free State" the state admitted to the U.S. as a slave state as "Slave State", and the Missouri Compromise line. Mark them exactly as I have in the instructions!Free StateSlave StateMissouri Compromise Line Free State Slave State Missouri Compromise Line Complete the Table Drag the correct responses to the table shown. Free state in Missouri Compromise Maine Slave state in Missouri Compromise Missouri Line dividing slave and free areas Missouri Compromise Line Parallel Proposer of Missouri Compromise Henry Clay The American System After the War of 1812, Americans felt good about themselves. They had beaten the British once again and felt strong. American manufacturing and trade took off! British companies sent huge amounts of affordable goods to America after the war. American mill owners wanted to sell their goods to Americans rather than have them buy them from Britain, but they were having a hard time competing with the British prices. Henry Clay, a member of the United States House of Representatives, had a plan to aid American businesses. He called it the American System. It included the following:1.)A tariff– A tariff is a tax on imported goods. It made European goods more expensive and encouraged Americans to buy cheaper products made in America. The tariff also made the country money, which would be used to improve things.2.)A National Bank- The establishment of a national bank that would promote a single currency (money), making trade easier.3.) Roads and Canals – Improve the transportation system in the country. Henry Clay though that many more roads and canals should be built. These roads and canals would make trade easier and faster for everyone, helping farmers and merchants get their goods to markets.Henry Clay hoped the American System would help the United States be able to become independent from Europe. Why were American workers and mill owners having a hard time selling their goods to Americans? What is a protective tariff? Tax on imported goods Tariff Supported the tariff because it helped their factories The North Opposed the tariff because it forced them to buy costly American made goods instead of cheaper goods from Britain The South Supported tariff because it would help economy and more money could be used to improve transportation The West Sectionalism Loyalty to one's state or section of the country rather than to the nation as a whole. As the "Era of Good Feelings" faded, the nationalistic feelings dwindled as Americans came to identify themselves as northerners, southerners, or westerners. In Congress, leaders from different sections often fought. The tariff of 1816 caused many arguments. Sort the following to correctly place the description to the person it belonged to. Henry Clay Represented West Supported tariff of 1816- it would help economy, reduce dependence on foreign goods, and improve transportation Supported War of 1812- a War Hawk from Kentucky John C. Calhoun Represented South Opposed tariff of 1816- it raised prices on European goods that the South bought (forced them to buy more expensive American goods) Supported War of 1812- a War Hawk from South Carolina Daniel Webster Represented North Favored tariff of 1816- it kept Europeans from selling their goods at a lower price (helped American factories) Opposed War of 1812- like many other New Englanders We learned many new things today! Find the words below to review the major topics introduced today. To mark a word click its first letter then click its last. SECTIONALISM COMPROMISE FACTORIES IMPORTS ECONOMY CALHOUN MONROE TARIFF SOUTH NORTH WEST CLAY