After the war of 1812, American society went through a period known as the Era of Good Feelings. This era was characterized by various factors that contributed to feelings of positivity. One of these factors was the boost in manufacturing and revenue brought about by the war, which greatly benefitted the nation. Additionally, the war served to unite people in support of the national government’s cause. Furthermore, returning war veterans played a significant role in expanding westward population growth, creating a sense of progress and expansion. These aspects were similar to those seen during the Renaissance in Europe, where increased money, population, and development generated excitement and optimism – hence the idea of a “Good Feeling”. Unfortunately, this era could not be sustained after the election of 1824. With parties developing their own ideas, patriotic fervor waned and gradually led to a decline in national unity.
Following the War of 1812, there was a feeling of excitement and pride in the United States for standing up against the world’s most powerful nation and achieving a draw. The Treaty of Ghent confirmed this triumph and sparked a surge of patriotism throughout the country. John Krimmel’s artwork on Independence Day captures this patriotism and unity by portraying soldiers, peasants, and wealthy individuals playing music together (Doc 3). Krimmel aimed to demonstrate the strong sense of unity among people from various regions, social classes, and age groups within the nation through his painting. This artwork symbolizes an increasing equality for the future as marginalized groups were inspired by the prevailing “Good Feeling” to fight for their rights in subsequent years, including advancements towards Republican Motherhood for women.
The disputed war of 1812 ended with America pulling itself to a draw with British people, removing the Federalist party and leaving the nation with only one party. This increased unity in the nation. The election of 1820 continued the one-party system and resulted in James Monroe winning almost unanimously. The nation supported the Republicans, marking their victory over the opposed Federalists. However, the maps of the election in 1824 show that unity began to decline and the Era of Good Feeling came to an end. More parties and ideological divides emerged, leading to votes being spread across multiple candidates from different states. John C. Calhoun, a South Carolina Congressman, recognized the strength of a unified nation but feared disunion due to the nation’s size. He made this statement during the political fall of the Federalist party, which likely contributed to his fear of disunion in the future.After the decline of the Federalists, historians have come to understand that the nation experienced even greater unity.
