Nationalism and Economic Development

1
Nationalism and Economic Development

• America from 1817-1850

2
The Era of Good Feelings

• The Era of Good Feelings was a period
  characterized by limited political discord due to
  the disappearance of the Federalists
• The name is a bit of a misnomer as there was
  heated debates during the period over tariffs,
  the bank, roads and the rising of sectional
  tension.
• Nationalism began to be a defining national
  characteristic in the forms of
• Cultural nationalism (Hudson River School)
• Economic Nationalism (Tariff of 1816, American
  System)

3
The Era of Good Feelings

• The Era of Good Feelings was largely shattered in
  1819 with the Panic of 1819.
• The 2nd Bank of the United States had tightened
  credit to control inflation
• The limited access to money, combined with the
  wild land speculation in the West led to an
  economic depression.
• This Panic led to a call for political change and
  opposition to the Bank
• The political change was manifested in the views
  of leading Republicans, once the champions of
  limited government, becoming leaders of big
  government. (Tariffs, Bank)

4
The West and the Rise of Sectionalism

• Why move West?
• Acquisition of lands held by Native Americans
• Economic pressure
• North War and embargo had lessened opportunity
• South New lands needed for cotton cultivation
• Improved transportation
• Railroads, canals, roads and steam power made
  travel much easier than in previous times.
• Immigration
• Europeans were attracted by the lure of cheap
  land, not something to be found in most of Europe

5
The West and the Rise of Sectionalism

• The goal during expansion was to attempt to
  maintain balance between Slave and Free states
• Senator Tallmadge of New York touched off the
  sectional tensions with an amendment that would
  have banned further introduction of slaves, and
  emancipated children of existing slaves at age
  25.
• The South saw this as the first step toward full
  emancipation
• Henry Clay balanced the interests of North and
  South through the Missouri Compromise
• Missouri is added as a slave state, Maine comes
  in as a free state and in the rest of the
  Louisiana Territory slavery is banned above
  3630 North latitude.

6
Foreign Policy and Nationalism

• Rush-Bagot agreement of 1817
• A major disarmament agreement on the Great Lakes
• The Treaty of 1818
• Shared fishing rights of Newfoundland
• Joint occupation of the Oregon Territory
• Northern border at 49
• Jacksons military campaign
• 1817 Jacksons overzealous campaign demonstrated
  the power of the American military, but
  frightened many in Congress
• Florida Purchase Treaty
• Spain was disenchanted by Jacksons force and
  decided to get the best possible terms for a sale
  before the US took it by force
• The Monroe Doctrine
• Stated that Europeans should stay out of the
  affairs of the Western Hemisphere.

7
Economic Development

• Growth of Population
• Provided both labor and consumers
• Mostly provided by a high birth rate, but also
  immigration
• Transportation
• Roadways, Canals, Steamboat
• Lancaster Road (Pa), Erie Canal (NY), Clermont
  (1807)
• Growth of Industry
• Corporation, Factories, Unions
• Commercial Agricultural
• Cheap land and easy credit
• Cotton and the South
• The invention of the cotton gin greatly increased
  the need for slaves, imported until 1808