Henry Clay's American System
How would the American System help America?
How would the American system create a self-sufficient, interdependent country?
- The protective tariff was a 20-25% tax on goods that were imported. This tariff was not intended to raise revenue but it was supposed to help the manufacturers. This tariff made American goods lower the value and would help contribute to the growth of manufacturing goods which would then lead to a stronger economy.
- A strong federal Bank would implement one single currency across America which would make trade significantly easier and promote unification as the entire country would be using the same currency and would not have to go to extreme lengths to convert different currencies.
- If the government provided the revenue for internal improvements of transportation which included building canals and roads, it would facilitate easier trade and would also allow for goods to travel to different areas which would expand the trade market.
The American system would help create a self-sufficient, interdependent country as the internal improvements would result in trade routes which would connect different areas of the U.S. and facilitate easier trade among these areas. The transportation routes would call for states to depend on each other for various goods and result in unification as one state depends on an state for a common cause: the development of their economy. The protective tariff would also help the American the economy as it would make American goods cheaper which allows more people to buy the goods which therefore promotes the growth of economy. The establishment of a single currency throught the U.S. would result in the unification of a country and easier trade. In all, the American System would increase the trade market and promote the growth of economy in America.
How would the American system help unify New England?
- New England would benefit from the American System because internal improvements such as the development of roads and canals would result in establishment of trade routes to other areas in the U.S.. New England could send manufactured goods to the South while the South could send raw materials to New England. The protective tariff would also help New England in that it would protect their industries from cheap British goods. The establishment of the American System would help unify New England through their economical benefits as internal improvements would result in a growth of their trade market.
What was the American System?
How would the American System help unify the South & West?
- The American System was a economical plan proposed by Henry Clay who was a politician. It had 3 main parts: a protective tariff, a strong federal bank and federal government, & internal improvements which consisted of obtaining federal revenue for developing transportation of canals and roads.
- The American System would help the South in that the southerners could sell their cotton to the mills in New England with internal improvements of roads which would allow for easier trade between different areas in America. This would unify the South because their trade market would be expanded and they would all benefit from the growth of their economy. The West would benefit from the American System in that since it needed better transportation, if roads and canals were developed through internal improvements, they would facilitate easier transportation to the West which would allow for more people to move there. The West would be unified because the development of transportation would allow for more people to move to the West and it would result in development of industries and buisnesses.
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