Henry Clay’s American SystemBy Joel Rodgers, Dirk Glenn, Emma McWilliams, Mason Anderson

Proposal for Interdependence

•Concentrated on Agriculture, Commerce, and Industry

•3 Components▫Protective Tariff on imported goods▫A National Bank▫Government subsidies for roads, canals,

and turnpikes

Protective Tariff

•High Tax on imported goods•Insured that citizens would buy American

goods•Protected the American industry •Provided revenue for transportation

improvements

National Bank

•Replaced Hamilton’s national bank•Established sound credit•Promoted a national currency

Transportation

•Proposed that new roads, canals, turnpikes and steamboats be built

•Would make transportation more efficient▫More cost effective▫Would take less time▫Unified regions

Significance/ Nationalism• Interdependence

▫South provided raw materials (cotton)▫Land sales in the West funded transportation

and provided food for New England▫New England manufactured goods to sell back

to the South and West• Faster modes of transportation:

▫Allowed people to get out of their region▫Made them feel like part of a larger cause▫Enabled products to get from one part of the

country to the other quickly