Era of Good Feelings to Indian Removal

Era of Good Feelings to Indian Removal

Era of Good Feelings, Economic and Judicial Nationalism, the Spoils System, Nullification, the Bank War, and Indian Removal

• James Monroe was elected our 5th President in 1816.

• Monroe's eight years in office are known as the "Era of Good Feelings" because there was little political fighting and rising national unity.

​

​The Era of Good Feelings

• The growing sense of national unity led to people feeling the federal government should take an active role in building the economy. One of these people was Henry Clay, the Speaker of the House from Kentucky.

​

​Economic Nationalism

• Capitalism is an economic system based on the private ownership of farms and businesses.

• Clay believed in capitalism but also that the government should play a role.

• Clay proposed what he called the American System.

• This plan called for taxes on imported goods (tariffs) to protect industry as well as spending on transportation projects like roads and canals (internal improvements).

​

​Economic Nationalism

Under Chief Justice John Marshall the Supreme Court strengthened the Court itself and the federal government's power over the states. Second, they encouraged the growth of capitalism.

Judicial Nationalism

In McCulloch v. Maryland the court ruled that Congress could create a national bank without state interference.

In Gibbons v. Ogden the court ruled that only Congress could regulate interstate commerce.

Judicial Nationalism

• Andrew Jackson was elected President in 1828 after one of the ugliest campaigns in American history.

• Jackson campaigned on being a friend to the common man and returning government "to the people". This idea appealed to many in the south and west.

​

​The Spoils System

• Once he took office Jackson replaced many officials with people loyal to him. Rotating people in office was more democratic than lifetime service, he said, because it gave more people a chance to serve their government. Jackson believed that after a few years in office, civil servants should go back to making a living as other people do.

• Jackson called this system the "spoils system" after the military phrase "to the victor go the spoils".

​

​The Spoils System

• In 1828 Congress passed a new tariff (tax on imported goods)

• The idea was to encourage the growth of business in the U.S.. Higher tariffs meant higher prices for imported goods, which let allow American businesses to outsell their foreign competitors.

​

​Nullification Crisis

• Northerners liked the new tariff because it helped their businesses.

• Southerners opposed the tariffs, mainly because they were afraid other countries would retaliate with tariffs on cotton the south sold to other countries.

• South Carolina said they had the right to nullify the tariffs and threatened to secede if the national government enforced the tariffs.

​

​Nullification Crisis

• President Jackson strongly opposed what South Carolina was doing. He convinced Congress to pass a bill allowing him to use the military to enforce the tariff. Congress also passed a slightly lower tariff as a compromise.

• The crisis was over but it was the second time nullification had been threatened against unpopular laws (the first was against the Alien and Sedition Acts.).

​

​Nullification Crisis

​Watch the video on the next slide and complete the "Bank War" section of your notes

​

The Bank War

​Watch the video on the next slide and complete the Indian Removal section of your notes.

​

Indian Removal