Era Of Good Feelings Analysis

The War of 1812 opens a new chapter in American history in a variety of aspects. After its victory over Great Britain, America gains true sovereignty and regard as an independent nation, soon leading to proliferation of nationalist sentiment. But the most important change that’s brought about in America is the abolition of the two party system, as the Federalist Party marks its end in the Hartford convention, leading to an era with no political opposition. This shift in the political landscape, along with the emergence of nationalist sentiment, resulted in the “Era of Good Feelings” from (1815-1825), though traces of sectionalism hints its seemingly unnoticeable limits. The Era of Good Feelings was mostly shown in political matters; it by…show more content…
As mentioned, nationalism encouraged the citizens of the United States to feel unity. This led to a peaceful process of economic issues, and rapid growth of transportation methods and technology in America. The main economic issue of this era, extended from its previous generation, is the National Bank. From its first charter, the BUS was a very controversial issue, as much as slavery is a controversial issue in politics. When Henry Clay suggested the re-charter of the BUS through his 3-fold economic plan, called the “American System” certain amount of protest was expected. As it turns out, John C. Calhoun, who is known for his hatred for the national bank system, just agrees to ignore the constitutional issues and re-charter the national bank. This is a major incident where national unity hauls over political animosity, showing how much people were determined to avoid any possible conflict. Calhoun, the man who made this yield, gives further contribution to national unity through encouraging congress to “bind the union together through roads and canals” (Doc. B). Here, he mentions that his biggest fear is disunion, which may be caused by the large size of America, which is why he seeks to unite the whole nation through new transportation. The Erie Canal built in 1823 was a major part of this. The most important part of this canal was its role in connecting western farmers and eastern cities, causing a huge economic boom. Steamships were also developed and contributed to this connection. The “National Road” was also built to link the whole of America. This simple domination of “nationalism” triggered a chain reaction of economic prosperity. However, like political matters, there was a point where potential crisis was seen. In 1816, the ‘Tariff of 1816’ was imposed in order to protect infant industries in the north. This tariff, despite its intentions, unexpectedly hurt the southern economy, mostly