Coming off of the “Era of Good Feelings”, the United States government was on the brink of a revolution. During this period there was a renewal of the National bank, a rise in prices for former Native American lands, as well as tariff against cheap British goods, which began to drive a rift in between the only active political party, the Democratic-Republicans. Although unified in their dislike of the Federalist party and mistrust of large government, The Democratic-Republican party had grown heavily divided between the more conservative southerners, who favored slavery and took an off handed approach to the federal governments involvement, and the neo-federalist northerners, whom were anti-slavery and saw the importance for some federal government involvement. This led to four men being nominated for the presidency all from the same party.
Having traveled with his father to Britain and then on his own to the courts around Europe, John Q. Adams had received a colorful, first hand education in diplomacy and politics.…