The American System and Henry Clay Quiz

14 Questions

Who was the chief proponent of the American System?

Henry Clay

The American System aimed to make the United States less dependent on which country?

Great Britain

The American System incorporated which of the following to promote the American economy?

Tariffs on foreign goods

Which political positions did Henry Clay hold while promoting the American System?

Congressman, Speaker of the House, Senator

What were the first parts of the American System approved by Congress?

Tariffs and the National Bank

Who vetoed the proposal to build the National Road to Maysville?

Andrew Jackson

What did Henry Clay advocate for in his speeches on the American System?

Tariffs and infrastructure

What was the significance of the Transcontinental Railroad?

It connected the east and west coasts

Which political party supported the American System and adopted many of its ideas?

Republicans

What did the American System aim to promote?

American industry

Which project was supported by federal funding under the American System?

Erie Canal

What was the purpose of the second National Bank of the United States?

Control credit markets and guide the economy

What was the primary reason for opposition to tariffs imposed under the American System?

Impact on agricultural exports

When was the American System first outlined and named by Henry Clay?

First outlined in 1815 and named in 1824

Study Notes

The American System and Henry Clay

America aimed for self-sufficiency post-War of 1812, desiring to boost domestic industry and agricultural markets to reduce reliance on foreign nations.
America was primarily rural and imported most manufactured goods from Britain, the world's first industrialized nation.
Henry Clay, born in Virginia in 1777, proposed the American System in 1818 as a solution to import dependency and transportation difficulties from Kentucky.
The American System aimed to promote American industry through infrastructure development, protective tariffs, and a national bank.
It sought to improve infrastructure through canals and roads, protect American industry with tariffs, and establish a national bank for economic stability.
The federal government was urged to assist states in building roads and canals, funded by tariffs, to unite the country and facilitate trade.
Projects supported by federal funding under the American system included the Erie Canal, Cumberland Road, and the Lancaster Turnpike.
Tariffs were imposed to protect American goods, with revenue collected used for infrastructure, but faced opposition from southerners due to the impact on agricultural exports.
After the War of 1812, the second National Bank of the United States was established in 1816 to control credit markets and guide the economy, with support from Clay and American System proponents.
The National Bank aimed to prevent economic bubbles and guide the country towards a stable currency, and its charter was set to run through 1836.
The American System was first outlined in 1815 and later named by Henry Clay in an 1824 speech, aiming to make the United States economically viable and less reliant on foreign nations.