This document summarizes key political events and issues in the US from the Era of Good Feelings under President Monroe through the early 1830s. It discusses the growth of nationalism, Henry Clay's American System, John Marshall's Supreme Court decisions strengthening the national government, the election of 1824 and charges of a "corrupt bargain," the Nullification Crisis under President Jackson, and the creation of the Whig Party in opposition to Jackson. Economic issues like tariffs and the Second National Bank contributed to sectional divisions between North and South.

1. 2.04: Political events, issues, and personalities that
contributed to sectionalism/nationalism
CHAPTER 3 (pages 94-131)

2. After 1812
James Monroe elected 1816 and 1820
in landslides (D-R)
VP: John Quincy Adams (JA’s son)
Nationalism keeps growing
Period known as the “Era of Good
Feelings”

3. Monroe as Prez
Goal: create national economy (govt policies
support national growth/power)
Once D-R had been afraid of strong national govt…
Now they’ve changed their minds!
Henry Clay becomes the man with the plan, AKA
“American System”

4. Monroe as Prez
Clay’s American System:
1. protective tariffs: protect US businesses from
foreign competition by raising the cost of imported
goods
2. New roads/canals: improve transportation between
the east coast and west
3. national bank: new system needed to protect
money supply

6. Monroe as Prez
John Marshall heads SC, supports natl govt through
M v. M & other SC decisions:
McCulloch v. Maryland (1819): Congress has implied
powers (create a National Bank), fed law superior to
state law
Gibbons v. Ogden (1824): only Fed Govt has power to
regulate interstate commerce

7. Monroe as Prez
Panic of 1819: economic downturn
Workers lose jobs, demand down for grain/cotton,
farmers in debt, property lost to foreclosure
Adams-Onis Treaty of 1821:
 Spain sells Florida to U.S.
Monroe Doctrine, 1823:
Monroe warns Europe to stay out of the Americas

9. Election of 1824
4-way D-R race:
1. John Quincy Adams (JQA/former VP)
2. Crawford (GA)
3. Andrew Jackson (war hero – New Orleans)
4. Henry Clay (“American system,” War Hawk)
Jackson wins more popular votes & electoral
votes than JQA, but DOESN’T HAVE A MAJORITY

10. Election of 1824
Clay decides to support Adams & transfer votes…
JQA becomes 6th Prez (1825-1829)
Adams makes Clay his Secretary of State, supports
“American System”
Jackson is angry, calls this a
“Corrupt Bargain”
(illegal deal)

12. Election of 1828
Andrew Jackson furious that he’d been robbed in 1824,
runs again in 1828
AJ wins election as a Democrat (no longer D-R!)
VP John Calhoun (SC)
Rose up from poor beginning, didn’t trust the rich
Supported by regular Americans/“plain folk”/common
men
Used the spoils system (gave jobs to his friends/party
followers)

13. Voting Trends – 1800s
Fewer states require property ownership to be able to
vote (only have to pay taxes)
More states have universal male suffrage (if
you’re a white man, you can vote)
More voter participation (party conventions open to
public, voters choose electors, parades, rallies…)

14. Voting Requirements 1800-1830

15. Jackson as Prez
Protective tariffs part of “American System”
North okay with tariffs, South dislikes tariffs
(dependent on foreign trade)
“Tariff of Abominations” passed 1828. Last act of
JQA as Prez, leads to defeat, Jackson pressured to get
rid of tariff ASAP.

16. Jackson as Prez
Jackson’s VP, Calhoun, opposes tariff.
Calhoun writes SC Exposition and Protest –
protests tax, calls on southern states to nullify
tariff.
Nullification: states could reject any federal law they
thought unconstitutional.

17. Jackson as Prez
Another tariff passed in 1832…
SC legislature rejects tariff:
AKA Nullification Crisis
SC threatens to secede (leave the union)
Jackson supports state rights, but not if the country
would fall apart… threatens to send in troops
Solution: Clay writes compromise,
CRISIS OVER

18. Jackson as Prez
Proposal: Second Natl Bank
Opponents (Jackson & Dems):
dangerous/corrupt/ favors rich investors
Supporters: (Clay/Whig Party) economy will only
grow with regulated currency (paper money w/ stable
value)
Jackson vetoes 2nd Natl Bank!
Whig Party created to oppose Jackson, want strong
national economy

19. Election of 1832
Jackson (D) v. Henry Clay (W)
Jackson wins in landslide, takes on Natl Bank
Withdraws Fed $ from Natl Bank, puts it into
different state banks AKA “Pet Banks”
2nd Natl Bank fails
Whig Party attacks Jackson, calls him “King Andrew
the First”

20. Election of 1836
Martin Van Buren elected
(Dem & Jackson’s fav)
Panic of 1837:
Depression started by
Jackson’s decision to stop
accepting paper $ for purchase
of federal land
Land value drops,
banks/businesses bankrupt, etc.

21. Election of 1840
Whigs run against the depression
William Henry Harrison elected (war
hero/Whig).
Harrison dies 1 month into office, replaced by John
Tyler (rejects Whig policies once in power)