Knowra Era of Good Feelings Era of Good Feelings The Era of Good Feelings was a period of relative political harmony and rising national identity in the United States, roughly from 1815 to 1825, during James Monroe’s presidency.
War of 1812 : A war between the United States and Britain from 1812 to 1815, fought over maritime rights, trade, and territorial pressures. Its end fueled national pride and helped inaugurate the period.
American System : Henry Clay’s program of protective tariffs, a national bank, and federally supported internal improvements. Its proposals offered a shared economic agenda, though not agreement on federal authority.
Panic of 1819 : The first major peacetime financial crisis in the United States, marked by bank failures, unemployment, and falling prices. The downturn weakened confidence in national institutions and sharpened political grievances.
Second Party System : The competitive national party system that developed in the United States during the 1830s around Democrats and Whigs. Its open rivalry contrasts with the preceding period’s Democratic-Republican dominance.
Hartford Convention : A 1814–1815 meeting of New England Federalists who opposed the War of 1812 and proposed constitutional amendments. Its timing and demands damaged the Federalists’ national reputation.
Second Bank of the United States : A federally chartered bank established in 1816 to regulate currency and stabilize the national financial system. Its creation reflected renewed support for national economic institutions after the war.
Election of 1824 : A United States presidential election in which no candidate won an electoral majority, sending the choice to the House of Representatives. Its contested outcome exposed divisions concealed by the era’s one-party politics.
Andrew Jackson : The seventh president of the United States, whose political rise and presidency helped define mass-party democracy. His ascent signaled the popular conflicts that followed Monroe-era consensus.
Federalist Party : An early United States political party that favored a strong national government and declined after the War of 1812. Its collapse left the Democratic-Republicans temporarily dominant.
Tariff of 1816 : A United States tariff enacted in 1816 that protected domestic manufacturers from foreign competition. It embodied postwar economic nationalism while exposing regional disagreements over protection.
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