Final answer:
The early national period was marked by a 'critical' post-war phase with weak federal government and financial crises, leading to the Constitution's creation. The Era of Good Feelings saw efforts to build infrastructure and expand federal powers, with significant Supreme Court rulings. Debates over national growth and state interests, however, foreshadowed future conflicts and the principle of national supremacy.
Step-by-step explanation:
Early National Period of the United States
The early national period is a significant era in American history that encompasses the years following the end of the War of 1812 until the prelude to the Civil War. During this time, the nation faced numerous diplomatic and financial challenges, leading to what John Quincy Adams described as a "critical" time.
The period saw the implementation of the Articles of Confederation, which proved inadequate for a robust federal government, leading to various crises such as Shays' Rebellion.
Diplomatic efforts expanded trade with countries like the Dutch, Swedes, and Chinese, but the weak federal government struggled with national debt and foreign relations. The need for a stronger federal system led to the Constitutional Convention and the creation of a new Constitution. Subsequently, the national government strove to assert its role in the federal design, causing friction with states that wanted to protect their own interests.
During the Era of Good Feelings, political leaders sought to enhance the nation's financial and transportation infrastructure to support growth and address the market revolution. Key developments such as the Second Bank of the United States, protective tariffs, and influential Supreme Court decisions,
like McCulloch v. Maryland and Gibbons v. Ogden, supported a broad interpretation of federal powers. Despite these advances, society faced debates over tariffs, banking, slavery, and Indian removal. The period laid the groundwork for the principle of national supremacy and later, dual federalism, with a clearer delineation of federal versus state powers.