The Era of Good Feelings

James Monroe, President1817-1825

Missouri Compromise

• 1820 – Two territories wanted to become states. But would they be free states or slave states?

• Balance in the Congress was at stake – SLAVE vs. FREE was important!!!!

• Missouri came in as a slave state• Maine came in as a free state• It called for the new dividing line to be

at the 36° 30’ latitude line.• Any states north of the line would be free.

States south would be slave.

Monroe Doctrine

The U.S. warned European nations to keep out of the Western Hemisphere.

Mexican Independence

• 1821 – Mexico wins INDEPENDENCE from Spain!

Erie Canal• 1825-1850 – The Age of Canals• Created a water route between

Buffalo, New York and NYC• Opened trade and created unity

Erie Canal

Andrew Jackson“Old Hickory”

Democrat2 Terms

1829-1837

Old Hickory

He represented the “common man.”

“Jacksonian Democracy”

• Increased numbers of people could vote.

• They identified with Jackson and elected him.

He fired government workers and replaced them with his friends.

Spoils System

Steam Locomotive

• The first steam train engine. • Built by Peter Cooper• Improved land transportation and

opened up the West

Nullification• Nullify – to invalidate, annul, void, cancel• Southern states did not like northern tariffs

(the Tariff of Abominations) so they decided they did not have to follow the law.

• Southern states thought Jackson would back them because he owned slaves.

• He told them to pay the tariff.• Some southern states wanted to secede

(break away) from the U.S.

TEXAS Independence

• 1836• Texas wins its independence from

Mexico.• Sam Houston becomes the first president

of Texas.

Gibbons v. Ogden

• Supreme Court ruled that the Federal govt. has power to regulate trade between the states.

• Some people believed it gave the Federal govt. too much power.

Trail of Tears• Native American groups lived between the Miss. River

and Atlantic Ocean.• Indian Removal Act forces them to relocate to

Oklahoma.• Worcester v. Georgia: Supreme Court rules that

Cherokees cannot be forced to move from their lands.• Jackson ignores decision and forces the Native

Americans off of their lands. The forced march was known as the Trail of Tears.

• Thousands of Cherokee died of starvation, disease, and exposure (frostbite).

Abolitionists• Abolition – elimination • Wanted to eliminate

slavery.• William Lloyd Garrison

begins writing a newspaper called the Liberator.

• Groups such as the Quakers and some freed slaves begin speaking against the practice of slavery.