What major event marked the end of the Era of Good Feelings?

The end of the Era of Good Feelings is most prominently marked by the Panic of 1819 and the Election of 1824. This period, which followed the War of 1812, was characterized by a sense of national unity and political harmony, primarily under the leadership of President James Monroe. However, the Panic of 1819, which was the first major financial crisis in the United States, resulted in widespread economic hardship, bank failures, and a significant rise in unemployment, thereby shaking the public's confidence in the government and contributing to social discontent.

Additionally, the presidential election of 1824 starkly illustrated the fracture in the political consensus of the time. Rather than a single dominating party, the former unity eroded, leading to a highly contested election featuring multiple candidates from the same political background, each vying for support in a more fragmented political landscape. This election revealed growing divisions in leadership and ideology, paving the way for the development of new political parties and an increase in political polarization.

This combination of economic troubles and emerging political discord served to definitively mark the transition away from the unified sentiments that characterized the Era of Good Feelings.