Henry Clay & the American System: Linking North, South & West via Industrial Expansion, Lecture notes of Construction

Download Henry Clay & the American System: Linking North, South & West via Industrial Expansion and more Lecture notes Construction in PDF only on Docsity! SSUSH7: INVESTIGATE POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS DURING THE AGE OF JACKSON. ELEMENT B: Explain how the North, South, and West were linked through industrial and economic expansion including Henry Clay and the American System. Industrial Revolution q  Industrialization expanded in the United States following the War of 1812 and really picked up momentum in the 1830s. §  The emphasis on building American manufactures was one of the points of conflict between the Whig Party, led by Henry Clay, and the Jacksonian Democrats. •  Clay and the Whigs believed very strongly that the federal government should be involved in funding progress through infrastructure projects and investing in the development of industry. §  As industrialization expanded, each region of the United States was impacted. •  The North, South, and West were increasingly linked together through advances in transportation and the industrial process. q  The era known as the Industrial Revolution began in Great Britain in the 18th century when the country began the transformation from purely agrarian to a modern industrial and commercial economy. §  Soon hand-made and home-made goods were replaced by machine made and factory made goods and power driven machines operated by semi- skilled or unskilled workers. §  The Industrial Revolution made its way to the United States in 1793 with the completion of Samuel Slater's water powered textile mill in Rhode Island. §  Real impetus for the change to an industrialized economy came in the first decade of the 19th century as the Napoleonic Wars interfered with America's exports to European markets and its imports from Great Britain. Americans sought ways to improve the national economy. Industrial Revolution q  The most famous canal built in this era was the Erie Canal, which stretches 363 miles and connects the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. §  It opened in 1825 after eight years of construction. §  The Erie Canal served as a turnpike for large cargo carrying barges where a road could not be easily built. §  Transportation costs for goods were lowered because of the canal's more efficient transportation. §  This not only opened up western New York and regions further west to increased settlement, but also helped unite new regions with the Atlantic states. §  The effect of the Erie Canal on this country was stunning. •  Cargo that cost $100 per ton and took two weeks to haul by road could be moved on the Erie Canal at $10 per ton in three and a half days. Industrial Revolution q  By the 1830s, an even more rapid mode of transportation was set to further expand commercial production and the economy. §  Railroads were less costly, time consuming, and labor intensive to build than canals. §  By 1850, there were 9,000 miles of railroad track crossing the United States and further cut transportation time. §  The result of transportation advancements was a more interconnected nation that could more efficiently industrialize and grow a national economy. q  With improved transportation methods rapidly changing the United States, Henry Clay became more involved in promoting the nation's economic growth. §  Clay was a Kentucky politician, founder of the Whig Party, and rival of Andrew Jackson. •  He supported industrialization and believed that the federal government needed to take strong action to ensure the economic growth of the United States. •  The American System was Henry Clay's plan for expanding production in the United States. Clay’s American System q  There were three components to the American System. 1.  First, Clay encouraged the Congress to pass protective tariffs that would make imported goods more expensive than similar products manufactured in new American factories. 2.  The second key feature of American System was federal funding for internal improvements to the infrastructure of the United States. §  Rather than states or private businesses being the primary contractors for roads, canals, or railroads, the federal government would fund the large scale transportation projects that would connect far reaching points instead of being limited to state boundaries. 3.  The third component of the American System that Henry Clay believed was the key to the entire process for industrial and economic expansion was the reestablishment of a National Bank to issue a national currency and serve as a depository for federal funds. §  The first Bank of the United States was established during George Washington's presidency and was the creation of Alexander Hamilton. •  It had expired in 1811 while the Democratic-Republicans were in power. §  Whigs, such as Henry Clay, believed it was essential to bring back a National Bank in order to fund internal improvement projects, stabilize the economy, and support new industrial pursuits. §  The Jacksonian Democrats opposed the idea of a National Bank because they believed it supported the upper class industrialists at the expense of the small farmer.