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War of 1812 and Era of Good
Feelings
Chapter 12
The Inevitable War
•  British arming Natives out West
•  Madison wanted to restore confidence in
Republican party (and republicanism)
–  Government needed to stand up for its citizens
–  If US could not defend itself, it would have no
credibility
•  Geographically: New England and MidAtlantic region is against war
•  Most Federalists against war
•  Most Republicans were for war (except those
in middle states)
War Declared
•  Congress declares war in June, 1812
•  Timing is odd:
–  Britain had begun to loosen U.S. sanctions
–  They had lifted blockade
–  Those most impacted by British sanctions
also against war
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Unclear Goals and Strategies
•  Despite advisor saying attack Montreal,
Madison approved a 3-pronged
approach, weakening the military
–  Military already poorly trained and weaker
than Britain
•  U.S. attack on Canada was
unsuccessful
•  Britain blockades the Atlantic and
attacks!
U.S. Navy
•  12 ships vs. 800 British
ships
•  U.S.S. Constitution
( Old Ironsides )
–  Raised U.S. morale
•  Some naval success:
Oliver Hazard Perry
captured British fleet in
Great Lakes
•  British mostly
dominated the seas
The White House Is Burning;
The British Are Coming,
AGAIN!!
(August 24, 1814)
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Turning Point in the War
•  Britain no longer fighting
France in 1814
•  But poor leadership
(again) allowed U.S. to
rally
•  Battle of Ft. McHenry
•  Star Spangled Banner
Federalists v. Republicans
•  Feds against war, Republicans for war
•  Shows split between commoners had
against aristocrats
•  Feds gaining ground in New England
•  Rest of country getting upset over
perceived NE/Federalist disloyalty
Battle of New Orleans (1815)
•  Britain offers peace
in 1814
•  Battle actually took
place after Treaty of
Ghent was signed
•  American victory led
by Andrew Jackson
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Treaty of Ghent (1814)
•  Main American
negotiators
–  John Q. Adams
–  Henry Clay
•  Ended war (draw)
•  Resolved very little:
Britain left U.S.
•  Impressment,
blockades, neutral
rights, seizing of
ships were ignored
Hartford Convention (Dec. 14Jan. 15)
•  New England meets to
discuss grievances
against U.S.
•  Wants compensation for
lost trade
•  Wanted to make it more
difficult for Congress to
put embargoes in place,
states to be admitted, or
war declared
•  Discusses secession
•  Turned U.S. against
Federalists
Outcomes of War
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U.S. forced to be self-reliant
European colonization ended
U.S. shown negatives of disunity
Killed Federalist Party
Increased nationalism
U.S. given more respect worldwide.
Native Americans gave up large chunks of
land.
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National Economy
•  After War of 1812, Britain tried to pay off war
debt
–  British businesses began dumping products at
below cost into U.S.
–  U.S. could not compete
•  Congress passed Tariff of 1816 to protect
American business
–  First protective tariff in U.S. history
–  Most realized it was necessary
–  New England opposed
•  It did not have a lot of industry yet
•  Party politics (Still holding onto Federalist ideas)
Henry Clay s American
System
•  A system based on
nationalism and protect
growing industrial
economy
–  Strong banking system
(Second National Bank
established in 1816)
–  Protective tariffs (Tariff of
1816)
–  Build roads and canals
(federally financed
internal improvements)
Transportation Improvements
•  Before Madison left
office he vetoed act of
Congress to build roads
and canals
–  Believed Unconstitutional
–  James Monroe also
believed unconstitutional
•  Massive canal building
by states (Erie Canal in
1825 linked NYC to
Great Lakes)
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The Election of 1816
Era of Good Feelings
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Ushered in with Monroe Presidency
Death of Federalist party
Increased nationalism
An extremely critical period in U.S.
History
Expansion
•  U.S. begins to expand westward very rapidly after
War of 1812
•  9 more states between 1791-1819 (free and slave to
keep balance)
•  Expansion equals more wealth and more powerful
economy
–  More markets and resources for industrialization
–  More land for farming
–  Money to be made for land speculators
•  Private property can be used for business purposes
(Palmer v. Mulligan, 1805)--cleared the way for
private ownership of businesses.
•  1818 and 1819: boundaries of U.S. set
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The Treaty of 1818
Adams-Onis Treaty, 1819
US Population Density
1810
1820
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Native Americans
•  Left by British
•  Continued to be pushed out of land by
Americans
•  Indian Policy (1790-1820)
–  Government would acquire land through
treaty and trade, not conquest
–  Educate, Christianize, Americanize
Panic of 1819
•  We expanded too quickly
•  Over speculated western lands--which meant large
debts
•  Second Bank of United States tightened credit--people
cannot start businesses, buy more land, etc.
•  State banks forced to close with worsening economy
•  Currency deflated, high unemployment, bankruptcies
•  Second Bank of U.S. foreclosed on land (especially in
the West) and caused a panic/depression
•  Our first national financial crisis.
Politics in Transition
•  Increase in voter participation
•  Jeffersonians split over James Madison s policies
–  He protected national bank
–  He continued tariffs to protect industry (while hurting
farmers--Europe taxed our goods)
–  Many Jeffersonians thought he was too moderate (still
resembled his old Federalist ways)
•  Sectionalism also becoming a growing condition of who you
voted for
–  Western lands were not populated enough to be important to
national politicians
–  Western lands often allied with a section
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One Political Party
•  War of 1812 doomed the Federalists
•  Therefore, Republicans, though split,
still were the more attractive party for
many.
•  Federalist party will be gone by 1820
The Election of 1820
The Missouri Problem
•  Missouri applies for statehood in 1819
•  Northwest Ordinance limited slavery north of
Ohio River
•  Many northern states demanded Missouri be
admitted as free state
•  Many southern states wanted it to be a slave
•  South demanded balance of free and slave
states.
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Why a Balance?
•  North already had a 105-81 advantage
in the House
•  Balance means South has equal power
in the Senate (11 slave, 11 free states)
•  Balance is about power, not slavery
Tallmadge Amendment (1819)
•  Part of Missouri s request for statehood
•  All slaves born in Missouri after the
territory became a state would be freed
at the age of 25.
•  No new slaves in Missouri
•  Passed by House, not the Senate
Missouri Compromise (1820)
•  Negotiated by Henry
Clay
•  Missouri enters as a
slave state
•  Maine comes in as a
free state
•  12 slave, 12 free states
•  36 30 parallel
established.
–  No slavery above this
line (except Missouri)
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Missouri Compromise (1820)
Foreign Policy
•  After War of 1812, US adopts a more
aggressive, nationalistic foreign policy
•  Great Lakes/Canada
–  Rush-Bagot Treaty (1817): strictly limited naval
armament on Great Lakes
–  Borders set in 1818
•  Adams-Onis Treaty (1819)
–  Spain gives up Florida and claims to Oregon
–  U.S. forgives $5 million in debt, gives up claims to
Texas
Latin America
•  Many Latin
American countries
want independence
from Spain
•  Europe a threat to
US
•  US decides a free
Latin America was
important for our
safety and economy.
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Monroe Doctrine (1823)
•  American Foreign
Policy
•  Major parts:
–  American continents
closed to new European
colonization
–  Any attempts by Europe
to impose its control in
Americas would be an
act of war.
–  U.S. would not interfere
with existing colonies or
in European affairs.
Important Supreme Court
Cases
•  McCulloch v.
Maryland (1819):
•  Fletcher v. Peck
(1810):
•  Gibbons v. Ogden
(1824):
•  Dartmouth College
v. Woodward
(1819):
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