Era Of Good Feelings Dbq

After the War of 1812, the Federalist party crumbled leaving the Democratic-Republican party to be the only party during the “Era of Good Feelings.” The Compromise of 1820 disturbed the political peace splitting the National Republican party into two new parties. The division resulted in the birth of the Whig and Democratic parties that dominated the United States’ political landscape. Each party would attract supporters due to their belief systems and leaders; however the ends of the Democratic party would far outlast that of the Whig party and would leave an everlasting impact on United States politics. In 1834, political opponents of President Andrew Jackson, primarily consisting of former members of the National Republican and Anti-Masonic parties, organized a new party. This …show more content…
Adams awarded Clay the Office of Secretary of State. Jackson’s supporters, future Democrats, called this the “Corrupt Bargain.” Jacksonians opposed a strong central bank, large expenditures on public projects, and tariffs to protect national industry, also known as the “Tariff of Abominations” to them. In opposition of Adams and what he supported, Jacksonians merged into the Democratic party, named that because it followed Thomas Jefferson’s calls for a small, decentralized government. Unlike the Whigs, the Democrats wanted to strengthen the country through the state governments. The Democratic Party primarily consisted of the common people, who did not have the desire to pay higher prices for what they bought because of tariffs, favored by the Whigs. They believed in laissez faire, the belief that the government should leave businesses alone, neither helping nor obstructing it. This way people would not be loaded with taxes to support businesses, and that everyone that was negligent would be able to take care of