Era Of Good Feelings Analysis

The period after the War of 1812 is historically labeled as the “Era of Good Feelings”, and, while this label was accurate, culturally, it proved to be false in the economic and social aspects of American life; furthermore, the politics of 1815 to 1825 initially resembled an “Era of Good Feelings” but, as time progressed, this label became inaccurate. Therefore, the “Era of Good Feelings” only applies to the rise of cultural nationalism and not the social, political, and economic realities of 1815 to 1825. This period in time consisted of a stark rise in nationalism and pride in the American identity, but also of the continual growth of social, economic, and political sectional issues. Nationalism, with its emphasis on pride in the country
Some of the events of the War of 1812 helped spur Nationalism. For example, in the Battle of New Orleans, American troops overwhelmingly defeated the British troops who had been victorious against Napoleon at Waterloo. This victory helped form the image to the public that the United States had a strong military and an influential position in global affairs,eventually, fostering cultural nationalism. In addition, some examples of cultural nationalism can be found in literature. The circulation of the works of Daniel Webster like his American Spelling Book created an association amongst the population with a unique American identity and culture. Nationalism was also present in works of art, such as John Krimmel’s depiction of a Fourth of July celebration. Krimmel utilizes the symbols of George Washington and the American flag to exemplify American patriotism and unity (Doc C). James Monroe’s Goodwill Tour in 1816 also helped develop a sense of cultural unity and actually earned the label of “era of good feelings” by the Columbian Centinel, a once Federalist newspaper. Thus, culturally, it was an “Era of Good Feelings” as illustrated in the development of nationalism in works of art and language and a sense of unity amongst the American people. Economically, the “Era of Good Feelings” was largely an inaccurate
The decision in the case of McCulloch v. Maryland in 1819 stated that the federal government had the right to charter a bank, increasing the authority of the national government and emphasizing political nationalism (Doc D). In the Election of 1820, James Monroe won by a landslide and the Federalist party had been destroyed by the Hartford Convention; thus, there was only one political party, leading to a great amount of political nationalism. The Density of Population in 1820 showed that the Northeast had a higher population than the South, meaning that the North controlled the House of Representatives. So, while there was only the Republican party in politics in 1820, there was a large amount of sectional tension between the North and South that would emerge over time (Doc E). Still, in 1823, these tensions had not surfaced yet as John Quincy Adams in a letter emphasized the need for a strong stance against Britain, Spain, Russia, and Prussia--The Holy Alliance. Quincy’s letter stressed an influential role in global affairs and coincided with the Monroe Doctrine—both assertions of political nationalism (Doc H). The presidential elections of 1820 and 1824 illuminated the change over time in nationalism and sectionalism in American politics. In 1820, an overwhelming majority elected James Monroe, president, showing an absence of sectionalism; however,