American History: The Era of Good Feelings (1817-25)

Figure 1.--Here we see an Independence Day (4th of July) celebration in Centre Square, Philadelphia. It is prticularly interesting because it is not a later recreation. It was painted in contemprsry times (July 4, 1819). It is a water color painted by John Lewis Krimmel, a German immigrant arist who worked in Philadelphis during the 1810s. All kinnds of vignenttes are depicted. wee see people of all ages and genders being depicted. Different tents were set up. We are not sure who was diung that. The tent at the left flies an Amerucan flag, a portrait of George Washington, snd s draing of an Americasn naval victoty, euith the slogan 'Don't give up the ship'. At the fright, there is a tent with the Pennsylvania state flag and a picture of the Battle of New Orleans. Interestingly a woman is handing out leaflets, unfirtunately we cam not read them. A lot of children are depicted, mosylt boys. One boy has a great toy cannon. Only one African-American ks depicted, a biot who seens to be dancing. Benjamin Latrobe's waterworks is in the background.

The period following the War of 1812 has commonly, but rather inaccurately been called the the 'Era of Good Feelings', describing the nationasl mood. The War of 1812 (1812-15) could have been a disaster, but Americans came out iof the War thinking they had won the War. The war in many ways brought the country together. A patriotic frenzy ensued. A noticeable change began after the Napoleonic Wars in Europe (1815). Americans as there was no longer a serious foreign threat could afford to turn their attention to domestic affairs. The term was first used at the Boston Columbian Centinel (1817). It is true that the Federalists disappeared and only Jeffersons Democratic Republicans goverened. Many historians believe that a better term is 'complacency'. Two other actions that would not have been possible earlier were a protective tariff and the establishment of the Second National Bank. In many ways the the wave of partiotic prode paper over the deep rifts within the Party which President Monroe attempted to resolve through an appeal to patriotism and national symbols. Monroe won all but one electoral vote for his reeldection (1920). In particular, sectionlist feelings declined, mking possible the Missouri Comprise emerged from the era, a rare compromise on slavery (1820). The era basically ended with the contentious 1824 election which pitted Secretary of State John Quincy Adams and War hero Gen. Andrew Jackson. What Jackson called the 'Corrupt Bargain' brought the rather optimistically named era of Good Feelings to an abrupt end. This was largely personal politics masking unresolved major issues. Soon the old unresolved issues reemergedin addition to the Panic of 1837, 'Panic' was the 19th century term for Depression. And the Abolitionist Movement would soon begin to move into the country's mainstream.

Created: 2:51 AM 2/16/2023
Last updated: 2:51 AM 2/16/2023