Era Of Good Feelings

4 Pages 958 Words

A great surge in national pride characterized the period from 1812 to 1824 known as the “Era of Good Feelings”. In the years before the war of 1812, social and economic differences between the North and the South led to sectionalism. The South was an agrarian society while the North developed an industrial society. The surge in national pride developed for many reasons. Military pride resulted from the defeat of the British at the Battle of New Orleans, and Monroe’s policies toward other countries as he stated in the Monroe Doctrine. The Hartford Convention helped to unify the country by developing the one party system.
The establishment of the tariffs, the bringing back of the national bank and internal improvement were all part of the development of the American system. This was an important development in the surge of nationalism experienced in “The Era of Good Feelings”. Another development which contributed to a feeling of nationalism was the growth of American culture. Literature and lifestyle changes contributed to this cultural development. Also the Supreme Court worked to strengthen control over interstate commerce. These events drew people together as a nation and sparked the pride and cultural identification that typifies this era.
Achievements in military also led to a feeling of nationalism. Some of the effects of the war of 1812 were respect by other powers and a sense of confidence in the government. The war brought the states together in a stronger nation because of the military achievements. The battle of Baltimore led to the writing of the National Anthem. Francis Scott Key witnessed the battle from a nearby boat in the harbor after being captured by the British. The bursting of gunfire over the harbor inspired him to write “The Star Spangled Banner”. The Monroe Doctrine declared that the U.S. opposed any further colonization within the Americas by European powers or any attempt to influence th...