Era of Good Feelings/Jackson Era Exam Study Guide

Era of Good Feelings and Jackson Era: Key Topics

  • Manufacturing Increase (War of 1812)

    • US relied less on European goods due to Napoleonic Wars.
    • Poor relations with Britain and France necessitated domestic production of goods and military supplies.

  • Problems during War of 1812

    • Exposed issues in transportation and finance systems.

  • Era of Good Feelings

    • Characterized by:
    1. Economic expansion
    2. Growth of white settlement
    3. Trade in the West
    4. Creation of new states
    5. Rising nationalism
    • Reflected in national politics.

  • James Monroe's Position

    • Served as Secretary of State under James Madison before presidency.

  • Monroe's Cabinet Composition

    • Varied backgrounds, promoting overall representation.

  • John Q. Adams

    • Became Secretary of State under Monroe.

  • John Marshall

    • Chief Justice who:
    • Modeled Constitution's development
    • Strengthened federal powers and the Judicial Branch.

  • Marshall Court Rulings

    • Established federal government’s power to regulate the economy over states.

  • Monroe Doctrine

    • First Part: No European colonization in the Americas.
    • Second Part: America won’t interfere in European affairs.
    • Impact:
    • Encouraged Latin American independence and trade partnerships with the US.

  • Clay's American System

    • Focused on American nationalism:
    • Raise protective tariffs
    • Strengthen National Bank
    • Improve federal internal finances.

  • Samuel Wilson

    • Nicknamed "Uncle Sam", served as chief meat inspector during the War of 1812.

  • Missouri Compromise (1819)

    • Balance between slave and free states: Missouri admitted as a slave state, Maine as a free state.
    • Established a divide along the southern border of Missouri.

  • Election of 1824

    • Jackson won popular/electoral votes but not majority; House chose Adams due to Clay's support, leading to accusations of “the Corrupt Bargain.”

  • Jacksonian Democrats

    • New political party opposing elitism, advocating for ordinary farmers and workers.

  • John Q. Adams' Presidency

    • Faced blockages from Jacksonian Democrats and pressures surrounding tariffs and Native American policies.

  • Tariff of Abominations

    • Hiked tariffs on imports, faced backlash from Southern states.

  • Rise of Nationalism

    • Shift in governance ideas including popular sovereignty, reduced aristocracy, and increased suffrage for white males.

  • Election of 1828

    • Nastiest campaign; Jackson criticized economic aristocracy, became symbolic of the “Common Man.”

  • Manifest Destiny

    • Belief that the US was destined to expand across North America.

  • Black Seminoles

    • Community of freedmen and escaped slaves in Florida.

  • Fort Mose

    • First all-Black town in North America.

  • Complicated Relationships

    • Ties between Black and Native Seminoles fluctuated between partnership and separation.

  • Andrew Jackson's Orders

    • Tasked with removing runaway slaves from Black Seminoles by violent means.

  • Indian Removal Act and Its Aftermath

    • Enforced under Van Buren, leading to massive Cherokee removal known as the Trail of Tears.

  • Impact of Federal Policies

    • Reservations promised to Native Americans diminished as white settlement expanded.

  • Worcester v. Georgia

    • Affirmed Native sovereignty; ignored by Jackson, exacerbating tensions.

  • Cherokee Removal

    • Frustration over forced departure and perceived betrayal over land trades.