In the summer of 1817, President James Monroe toured the country in an effort to unite the ever-growing United States, torn between bitter political battles that overshadowed national conflict. To Monroe, the nation seemed ready “to get back into the great family of the union.” And based on reactions to his speech, he was right. A Federalist newspaper hailed Monroe’s visit, and his message of togetherness, as a success. It ushered in what became known as “The Era of Good Feelings.” In truth, it was barely an era at all. The appearance of political unity had already begun to crack in 1819, when the Monroe administration faced its first serious political crisis: the Missouri Controversy. Support us by supporting our sponsors:Squarespace - Get 10% off your domain or website by using the code TELLERS at checkout at Squarespace.comKeeps - Get a month of treatment for free when you visit them at Keeps.com/tellersTripping - Save time and money while booking your next vacation at Tripping.com/tellers