Madison & Monroe

Key Events of James Madison’s and James Monroe’s Administrations.

James Madison’s administration is most

widely noted for Americas involvement in the War of 1812.

War of 1812 marked the growing nature of American foreign policy.

Foreign policy is a nations rules for dealing with other nations, for the purpose of achieving national goals.

In the case of the War of 1812, the United States is going to be forced to deal with abuse by the British

Madison and War of 1812

One major cause of the war was the British policy of

impressment. Impressment was where British naval ships would stop

American ships at sea and force American sailors into the British navy.

A second contributor to the war was the fact that British officials in Canada were supplying Native Americans in the western territories with weapons to help them resist American settlement.

Based primarily on these two causes, young congressmen from the South and West, known as war hawks, pushed for war with Britain

War Hawks believed that Britain was acting like a bully towards us because they didn’t respect our freedom and independence.

Madison and War of 1812

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WAR HAWKS

Henry ClayJohn C. Calhoun

Because of funding cuts to the army that had been

pushed by the Democratic-Republicans and lack of popular support for the war, America had too few volunteers and was not prepared for the war.

During the War of 1812, the British sacked Washington D.C. and burned the city, including the White House.

Most significant battle of the war occurred at the Battle of New Orleans

America was victorious in the Battle of New Orleans, but the battle was unnecessary as the U.S. and Britain had already signed the Treaty of Ghent, the official peace treaty of the War of 1812

Madison and War of 1812

Battle of New Orleans

Four outcomes of the War of 1812:

Brought an end to the Federalist Party whose members had largely opposed the war

American industries grew because we had to start producing goods we had to replace the goods we used to get from Britain prior to the war.

It confirmed the status of the U.S. as a free and independent nation.

Promoted national pride and helped form the beginning of nationalism

Madison and War of 1812

After the war, the British began to dump goods

on the U.S. (cheap goods) Congress passed the Tariff of 1816 (1st protective

tariff) that added a 20% tax on imported goods Henry Clay proposed the American System

Strong banking system to provide easy credit Protective tariff Building a strong transportation network

(roads/canals) to send resources to the east and manufactured goods to the west

The American System

James Monroe became President in 1816 & was a transition

between the revolutionary generation and the new Panic of 1819-Economic Depression b/c of over speculation of

western lands—hit the west and poor the hardest—unemployment and bankruptcies

Economic distress, new roads, and the defeat of the Indians drove people west (80 acres at $1.25)

Missouri applied for statehood as a slave state disrupting the balance, so Henry Clay proposed the Missouri Compromise—MO admitted as a slave state, Maine admitted a free state, 36’30 line drawn through the LA Purchase—DID NOT RESOLVE THE ISSUE OF SLAVERY

The So-Called “Era of Good Feelings”

When James Monroe was elected president in

1816, he established a foreign policy based on nationalism.

For Monroe, a foreign policy based on nationalism meant that he was going to focus on issues that concerned the entire nation, not regional issues

Examples of regional issues affecting the country at this time are: issue of slavery in the South and tariffs (taxes) in the North

Instead of focusing on these regional issues, Monroe focused on issues that affected the entire country

Monroe and Nationalism

The one issue that had the greatest impact on the

entire country at this time was national security. Many European countries were closing in on

American territories and interests and Monroe believed these needed to be protected.

For example: Russia was setting up trading posts in modern day

California and limiting U.S. access to areas of Alaska Spain and Portugal wanted to reclaim former

colonies in Latin America that had become independent.

Monroe and Nationalism

Because European powers were threatening

American security, Monroe felt the U.S. had to assert itself.

Based on these concerns, Monroe issued what will become known as the Monroe Doctrine

The Monroe Doctrine was an official foreign policy of the U.S. that said the U.S. would not allow further European colonization of and interference with independent nations in the Western Hemisphere.

The Monroe Doctrine established the U.S. as the dominant country of the Western Hemisphere.

Monroe and Nationalism