James Madison & Era of Good Feelings

1. James Madison & Era of Good Feelings

2. The Embargo Act of 1807 • Jefferson persuaded Congress to pass an embargo as a means of “peaceable coercion” • He hoped that U.S. refusal to export any goods or to buy any products from abroad would put sufficient economic pressure on GB and France to make them respect U.S. neutral rights

3. The Embargo Act of 1807 (cont.) • Unfortunately, the cutoff of trade did not hurt them enough to change their actions • It proved disastrous to the U.S. economy • Seamen were unemployed; merchants and farmers who depended on foreign sales were ruined • The impact was hardest on New England • An unintended consequence of the embargo was to encourage the transfer of capital into domestic manufacturing, a development Jefferson had initially opposed

4. James Madison and the Failure of “Peaceable Coercion” • The unpopular embargo revived the Federalist Party • 1808 election • Federalist=Charles C. Pinckney • Republican=James Madison

5. James Madison and the Failure of “Peaceable Coercion” (cont.) • Federalist carried much of New England • Madison carried most of other sections of the country

6. James Madison and the Failure of “Peaceable Coercion” (cont.) • Just before Jefferson left office, Congress repealed the embargo and replaced it with the weaker Non-Intercourse Act • This law worked no better then the previous one • For the next year and half, President Madison tried variations on the them of peaceable coercion (Macon’s Bill No. 2) • all failed to change British and French behavior

7. James Madison and the Failure of “Peaceable Coercion” (cont.) • By 1810, Madison faced increasing pressure from Republican congressional representatives from the South and West • Demanded a more aggressive policy toward Britain and France • “war hawks” • resented the insults to American honor • Blamed the interference in trade for the economic recession hitting their home states

8. Tecumseh and the Prophet • The war hawks wanted the British to get out of Canada • They believed that the British were arming and inciting the Indians on the American frontier

9. Tecumseh and the Prophet (cont.) • Tecumseh and his brother Tenskwatawa (the Prophet) were 2 Shawnees attempting to unite the tribes of Ohio and Indiana against white settlers • Initially they had no connections with the British • William Henry Harrison attacked the Prophet’s town and won the battle at Tippecanoe, Tecumseh did join forces with England

10. What should Congress do? • By 1812 congress faced a choice, should they declare war on England or not? • You are a member of a House of Representatives. What do you think Congress should do? • You have 20 minutes to do this

11. Congress Votes for War • June 1, 1812, Madison asked Congress to declare war on England • The vote reflected party and sectional splits • Most of the “no” votes came from New England Federalists • The majority of Republicans passed the declaration

12. Congress Votes for War (cont.) • Reasons U.S.A. declared war in 1812 • Britain’s incitement of the Indians • The belief that continuing British restrictions on U.S. shipping was causing the recession in the South and West • Madison’s view that England intended to ruin America as a commercial rival • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2AfQ5pa59A&list=PL58B0ED92D9D79316

13. The War of 1812

14. The War of 1812 (cont.) • On to Canada • In 1812, American attempts to conquer Canada failed • The British took Detroit • American victories: • Oliver H. Perry’s victory on Lake Erie • William Henry Harrison’s at the Battle of the Thames

15. The British Offensive • In 1814, the British landed on the shores of Chesapeake Bay and marched to Washington • Captured Washington and burned it • After they failed to take Baltimore, they broke off the campaign

16. The Treaty of Ghent • U.S. and British commissioners met at Ghent, Belgium • Dec. 1814 • The British demanded territory from the U.S.A. • The U.S.A. refused • British backed down

17. The Treaty of Ghent (cont.) • Dec. 24, 1814, they signed the treaty • America was restored to prewar status quo • Neither side gains or loses territory • Fixes a boundary between the US and Canada • Nothing was done about impressment, but the end of the war made that a dead issue

18. Battle of New Orleans • Battle of New Orleans • Fought 2 weeks after the Treaty was signed • U.S. had a resounding victory • Had no bearing on the terms of the Treaty of Ghent • Provided an uplifting ending for Americans • Makes Andrew Jackson a war hero http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMXqg2PKJZU

19. The Hartford Convention • The unpopularity of the war in the Northwest contributed to the revival of the Federalists • In the election of 1812, antiwar Republicans and Federalists supported DeWitt Clinton for president against Madison • Madison won reelection (128 to 89) • Clinton carried most of the Northeast

20. The Hartford Convention (cont.) • American military losses intensified Federalist discontent • Fall of 1814 • Group of Federalists convened at Hartford, CT • Passed resolutions aimed at strengthening their region’s power within the Union

21. The Hartford Convention (cont.) • Their timing could not have been worse • Coincided with the end of the war and news of Jackson’s victory in New Orleans • Silenced Federalist criticism • Public disapproval of the Hartford Convention led to the rapid demise of the Federalist Party

22. James Monroe • In the election of 1816, James Monroe (the Republican nominee) scored an easy victory • In 1820, Monroe won reelection with every electoral vote but one

23. 1816 1820

24. The Awakening of American Nationalism • Madison’s Nationalism and the Era of Good Feelings, 1817-1824 • Era of Good Feelings was the name given to the postwar time period • Heightened spirit of nationalism • New political consensus • Federalist party disappeared

25. Madison’s Nationalism and the Era of Good Feelings, 1817-1824 (cont.) • Republicans wanted to make the country more self-sufficient • Enacted many measures that the Federalists had earlier supported • Chartering of a new national bank • Protective tariff (help domestic manufacturing) • Sectional harmony started to break down because of the issue of slavery and its spread westward