Nationalism and Sectionalism in America During the Late...

America was founded by multiple states, from different regions and subsequently different styles of life, which made the possibility of their union unstable and uncertain. But, because they were united by a common goal- to break free of Britain’s despotic sovereignty- the American colonies were able to win their independence from Britain and become the United States of America. This dichotomy between the states’ different styles of life and their shared goal laid the foundation for the forces of nationalism and sectionalism in the US. The two opposing forces worked hand-in-hand to manipulate Americans’ views of one another and the American political and economic systems, though the force of sectionalism outweighed the force of nationalism†¦show more content†¦However, the Treaty of Ghent, which ended the War, increased sectionalism in the US because it did not resolve the impressment of American sailors, which was one of the main causes of the war. Overa ll, the War of 1812 was a huge proponent of nationalism in the US, and that nationalistic feeling carried over into the Era of Good Feelings, bringing about a shift in politics as well as Americans’ national identity. The Era of Good Feelings was a product of and contributed to the force of nationalism in America, characterized by many changes in America’s politics and internal affairs. The Federalist Party disintegrated because of the widespread criticism of the Hartford Convention during and after the War of 1812, making the Democratic-Republican Party the only political party. This meant that the old party animosities and tension would disappear, and there would be less political sectionalism in the government. The Democratic-Republicans underwent changes as well, like their party policies. The party became focused on obtaining a monopoly of government patronage, using fundraisers and events to gain support from the people. During this era, there was an increase in internal improvements, as seen with the American System, an economic plan that consisted of three parts. The first part was a tariff that would protect and promote American industry, known as the â€Å"Tariff of Abominationsà ¢â‚¬  by the Southern states, who were inconvenienced by the tariff. The