The Monroe PresidencyThe Monroe Presidency►President 1817-1825President 1817-1825

►Monroe had cautious Monroe had cautious attitude toward attitude toward governmental powers governmental powers & was a “hands-off” & was a “hands-off” leaderleader

►He was the He was the last of the last of the “Revolutionary “Revolutionary generation” to hold generation” to hold high officehigh office James Monroe

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““Era of Good Feelings”Era of Good Feelings”

►A period of A period of national harmony & political national harmony & political cooperationcooperation

►Early in his presidency, Monroe toured the Early in his presidency, Monroe toured the United States to visit and meet AmericansUnited States to visit and meet Americans(George Washington was the last President (George Washington was the last President to do this.)to do this.) Monroe paid his own expenses & tried to travel Monroe paid his own expenses & tried to travel

without an official escortwithout an official escort Former President John Adams commended Former President John Adams commended

Monroe’s “unassuming manner”Monroe’s “unassuming manner”

NationalismNationalism

►NationalismNationalism – pride and loyalty to a nation – pride and loyalty to a nation

►There were strong feelings of nationalism There were strong feelings of nationalism and unity during the “Era of Good and unity during the “Era of Good Feelings.”Feelings.”

SectionalismSectionalism

►SectionalismSectionalism – loyalty to the region – loyalty to the region where you livewhere you live

►Regional differences soon started to Regional differences soon started to divide the nationdivide the nation

►People thought of themselves as People thought of themselves as Northerners, Southerners, or Northerners, Southerners, or WesternersWesterners

Sectionalism - DifferencesSectionalism - Differences

►The different U.S. regions disagreed The different U.S. regions disagreed on:on: slaveryslavery the need for the need for tariffs tariffs (taxes on imports/ (taxes on imports/

exports)exports) a national banka national bank internal improvements (funded projects internal improvements (funded projects

such as such as canals and roadscanals and roads))

The SouthThe South

► John C. CalhounJohn C. Calhoun SOUTHSOUTH SlaverySlavery States’ RightsStates’ Rights War HawkWar Hawk

The NorthThe North

►Daniel WebsterDaniel Webster NORTHNORTH Free TradeFree Trade American BusinessesAmerican Businesses TariffsTariffs Great orator (speaker)Great orator (speaker)

The WestThe West

►Henry ClayHenry Clay WESTWEST War HawkWar Hawk Resolved disputesResolved disputes

through through compromisecompromise Missouri CompromiseMissouri Compromise ““American System”American System”

The Panic of 1819The Panic of 1819

► Economic recession Economic recession began in 1818began in 1818

► Banks failed; Banks failed; unemployment and unemployment and foreclosures soaredforeclosures soared

►Monroe took small Monroe took small actionsactions

► Ended by 1823Ended by 1823

Some Possible Causes: inflation, public debt from the War of 1812, beginning of American boom-and-bust

economic cycle, and the Louisiana Purchase

““The American System”The American System”

►Henry Clay’s idea to boost the economy Henry Clay’s idea to boost the economy and prevent future problems included:and prevent future problems included: a protective a protective tarifftariff a program of a program of internal improvementsinternal improvements ( (canals canals

& roads& roads)) national banknational bank

►Many people disagreed with this plan & Many people disagreed with this plan & thought it favored wealthy business thought it favored wealthy business owners in the North. owners in the North. Very little of this Very little of this plan went into effect.plan went into effect.

Florida Cession - 1819Florida Cession - 1819

►Florida ruled by Spain, but Spain had Florida ruled by Spain, but Spain had very little presencevery little presence Inhabited by Inhabited by pirates, outlaws (criminals), pirates, outlaws (criminals),

and Native Americansand Native Americans

►Seminole Indians attacked Seminole Indians attacked across the across the border (encouraged by British border (encouraged by British privateers)privateers)

Florida CessionFlorida Cession

►Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson “dealt with” the “dealt with” the Native Americans and BritishNative Americans and British Troops invaded FloridaTroops invaded Florida Jackson captured & hung Jackson captured & hung

British instigatorsBritish instigators

►U.S. negotiated with U.S. negotiated with

Spain for FloridaSpain for Florida►Spain ceded Florida Spain ceded Florida

without a fightwithout a fight

The Missouri ControversyThe Missouri Controversy

►The South wanted Missouri admitted The South wanted Missouri admitted as a slave state.as a slave state.

►The North wanted Missouri admitted The North wanted Missouri admitted as a free state.as a free state.

►Either way, Either way, power in the Senate would power in the Senate would be unbalancedbe unbalanced..

The Missouri Compromise - The Missouri Compromise - 18201820►Question of whether Question of whether

to permit slavery in to permit slavery in new states and new states and territoriesterritories

►No clear way to No clear way to determine Missouri’s determine Missouri’s statusstatus

►Admission as a slave Admission as a slave state would skew state would skew political balancepolitical balance

The Missouri CompromiseThe Missouri Compromise►Maine applied Maine applied

for admission at the for admission at the same timesame time

►Missouri admitted as Missouri admitted as a slave state, Maine a slave state, Maine as a free stateas a free state

► Balance in Senate Balance in Senate preservedpreserved

► Set 36º30' as Set 36º30' as boundary between boundary between slave and slave and free territoriesfree territories

36º30'

The Monroe Doctrine - 1823The Monroe Doctrine - 1823► Stated that the U.S. would Stated that the U.S. would

defend the Western defend the Western Hemisphere from Hemisphere from European interferenceEuropean interference

► The U.S. would not bother The U.S. would not bother any existing European any existing European colonies but would oppose colonies but would oppose any new ones.any new ones.

► Basically - “You stay in your Basically - “You stay in your hemisphere, we’ll stay in hemisphere, we’ll stay in ours.”ours.”

Effect of the Monroe DoctrineEffect of the Monroe Doctrine

►Monroe Monroe changed U.S. foreign policy changed U.S. foreign policy by by stating that the stating that the United States would United States would take action against European nations take action against European nations that tried to build new colonies in the that tried to build new colonies in the AmericasAmericas..

► It has remained an important part of It has remained an important part of U.S. foreign policy for over 180 years.U.S. foreign policy for over 180 years.