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Era Of Good Feelings

Era of Good Feelings

After the War of 1812, James Monroe was elected the fifth president of the United States in 1816. The Federalist Party died after the Hartford Convention leaving Jeffersonian Republics control, which wasn't for long after the Corrupt Bargain where Henry Clay convinced the House of Representatives to elect Adams as president and make himself secretary of state. This caused a split in parties, the National Republicans and the Democrats. After Monroe was elected president the time was named the "Era of Good Feelings" mainly because of the spread of nationalism. Others still say that this time was a time of sectionalism which can be well supported and wasn't a time of good feelings but a time of panic and division. Although both sides of the story can be argued nationalism did not spread more than sectionalism which was much more visible through the states in political, economic, and social aspects.
States over the years have argued over state government and the federal government and the Article of Confederation was a perfect example how the state government does not work. In Document D Maryland questions the authority of the federal government to incorporate a bank. During the McCulloch v. Maryland case Maryland attempted to tax the bank. Maryland got overruled and didn't get their way. Still it serves as a good example of sectionalism where states are thinking only for themselves and not for the good of the nation. Thomas Jefferson in Document F also claimed that the Missouri Compromise will be divide the United States and obliterate unity. This claim is true considering now that the North and South now compete for more free and slave states. In order for Missouri to become a slave state Maine had to become independent again showing signs of sectionalism the North vs. the South. Signs of nationalism although are seen in Document H. John Q. Adams wrote in his diary about the Monroe Doctrine which warns the Holy Alliance to...

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