4.3 - Politics and Regional Interests

Era of Good Feelings

-James Monroe president

-2 yrs after last battle of War of 1812

-suggests spirit of nationalism, optimism and goodwill

-Fed party gone

-JUST democratic repubs, but adopted some fed party policies and dominated politics

-BUT, headed debates over BIT and land sales

Tariff of 1816

• First protective tariff

Why:

• congress raised tariffs for the express purpose of protecting US manufacturers from comp rather than to simply raise revenue

Context:

-Before war of 1812, congress had levied low tariffs on imports to raise gov revenue

-war, American manufacturing ^^^

-in peacetime, American manufacturers feared that Brit goods would be dumped on American markets and take away business

-so congress raised tariffs

Henry Clay’s American system

-BIT

-protective tariffs

-national bank

-internal improvements

BIT accomplished so far in 1816:

-first protective tariffs

-second bank of US

Panic of 1819:

-second bank of US tightened credit trying to control inflation

-so, many state banks closed and unemployment, bankruptcies and imprisonment for debt ^^^^ a lot

-West affected rlly hard

-bc ppl in debt bc speculated/gambled on land during era of good feelings

-ppls political views changed

-calling for land reform n expressing strong opposition to both national bank and debtors prisons

-NATIONALIST beliefs shaken

Reasons for Westward movement

-acquisition of lands

-economic pressures (Northeast-embargo, French n Indian war)(South-need new land to replace their exhausted soil, later found good land)

-Improved transportation (roads, canals, steamboats n railroads)

-Immigrants

Missouri Compromise

-Missouri’s bid for statehood alarmed North band slavery was well established there

-bc Missouri as slave state —>tip political balance to South’s favor

Tallmadge amendment

-proposed an amendment to the bill for Missouri’s admission

1. Prohibiting further introduction of slaves Missouri

2. requiring children of Missouri slaves to be emancipated at 25

^^ If adopted, this would lead slavery to gradually fade away in Missori

-Destroyed in Senate bc mad southerners saw it as North’s first step to abolish slavery in all states

Clay’s proposals

-won majority support

1. Admit Missouri as slave holding state

2. Admit Maine as free

3. Ban slavery in rest of Louisiana Territory north of latitude of 36 30’

Missouri Compromise aftermath

-section feelings on slavery died down after 1820

-Missouri Compromise kept sectional balance for more than 30 yrs and gave time for US to mature