James Monroe: what was so good about the "Era of Good Feeling"? .
The years between the presidential election of James Monroe in 1816 and John Quincy Adams in 1824 have been known as the "Era of Good Feelings". It was the national mood of the United States mainly in political terms, as first described by the Boston Columbian Centinel on July 12, 1817. Several reasons initiated this era. Nationalism, a one-party system on a national level, isolationism and protectionism were all highlighted aspects of this national mood of "good feelings". .
After the war of 1812, the national union between states heightened the symbol of Nationalism. The naval victories and the victory over the New Orleans created "good feelings" upon people. This caused sectionalism to be temporarily set aside and people became more interested in forming a national identity. The Missouri compromise admitted a Maine as free and Missouri as a slave state, and this made up for the differences between the North and the South and contributed to the Era of Good Feelings. .
During the period after the war of 1812 the Federalists of the United States fell apart. James Monroe became president in 1816, after defeating the federalist candidate, Rufus King, by 183 to 34 in the voting of the Electoral College. After the presidency, he held a Goodwill Tour in the northern states to promote nationalism, where the federalists welcomed him and showed him their loyalty. President Monroe, a democratic republican, at this point believed that this era of Good Feelings would eliminate party rivalries and set a free government. This one party system on a national level included the most influential men of the day from both the previous rival parties. Under his administration, Monroe continued the Hamiltonian domestic program, acquired Florida and with the help of John Quincy Adams, then the Secretary of State, introduced the Monroe Doctrine in 1823.