Question

Why did President James Monroe undertake a goodwill tour soon after taking office?

Answer 1

Correct answer:  A. He wanted to inspire a sense of nationalism in American citizens.

Explanation:

To use a phrase coined by journalist Benjamin Russell of the Columbia Centinel (a Boston newspaper), James Monroe's presidency was seeking to evoke an "Era of Good Feelings."  Historians see "The Era of Good Feelilngs" as having begun around 1815, after the War of 1812 and the end of Napoleon's wars in Europe, when the United States entered an era when it could focus on its own affairs and not need to be concerned about political and military happenings in Europe.  But the "Era of Good Feelings" is most strongly associated with Monroe's two-term presidency,  from 1817 to 1825.   As part of that "good feelings" effort, President Monroe made goodwill tours of the country, in 1817 and 1819, to promote national pride and national unity.