Andrew Jackson Era Of Good Feelings Analysis

Between the years of 1816, and 1830, there was a slow but steady breakdown of “good feelings” within the American political system. The “Era of Good Feelings,” as one Boston Newspaper put it, was coming to an end. American politics that had previously been peaceful and friendly by nature, split into two very divided and strongly opinionated parties with opposite political beliefs and views. One could argue that many different factors contributed to the breakdown of “good feelings”. However, President Andrew Jackson and the truly horrible things he did during his presidency, from the infamous Trail of Tears, to the Nullification Crisis, politically divided America, causing the breakdown of “good feelings” within the political realm of America
The ‘Trail of Tears’ refers to the Indian Removal Act of 1830. At the time, America was rapidly expanding as a country. As new land was being sought after and westward expansion was in full swing, certain southern states were beginning to be valued and inhabited by white settlers. “But their land (Indians), located in parts of Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, Florida, and Tennessee, was valuable, and it grew to be more coveted as white settlers flooded the region.” The only problem was that these southern states were already inhabited by Native Americans. Andrew Jackson had a solution to this problem. Simply strong-arm the Indians off of their land. To quote a section of the Indian Removal Act, “It will place a dense and civilized population in large tracts of country now occupied by a few savage hunters.” While tribes were ‘compensated’ with currency to relocate, they had no choice or say in the matter. They were forced to move westward in the midst of a brutally cold and unforgiving winter. The relocation of these people was dubbed ‘The Trail of Tears’ as so many Indians died during their travels west. There are always two sides to an argument. However, Jackson’s Indian Removal Act was perceived by many as unconstitutional, and an abuse of power, sparking heated political debate among American citizens at the time, and strong opinions within the American political
There were many who opposed Jackson in his political views. One such man, John C. Calhoun, who served as vice president to Jackson, opposed him in many of his beliefs. Jackson and Calhoun notoriously butted heads on many issues, especially the issue of states rights. Jackson believed that power should lie within the federal government, making the nation as a whole stronger, while Calhoun strongly advocated for states rights. He believed that states should hold a majority of the power, and that with more government, came less freedom for the citizens. “Jackson and Calhoun clashed over the role of Union throughout the administration. At a Jefferson Day dinner in 1830, Jackson toasted the United States, “Our federal union, it must be preserved.” Calhoun responded in kind, “the union, next to our liberty, the most dear.” These two men and their opposing views ultimately clashed during the Nullification Crisis of 1832, where The Tariff of 1832 was deemed unconstitutional by the state of South Carolina. “And we, the people of South Carolina, to the end that it may be fully understood by the Government of the United States, and the people of the co-States, that we are determined to maintain this, our Ordinance and Declaration, at every