Question

"As [political leader Henry] Clay envisioned it [in the 1820s], the American System constituted the... basis for social improvement.... Through sale of its enormous land holdings, the federal government could well afford to subsidize internal improvements. By levying protective tariffs, the government should foster the development of American manufacturing and agricultural enterprises that, in their infancy, might not be able to withstand foreign competition. The promotion of industry would create a home market for agricultural commodities, just as farms provided a market for manufactured products."

Daniel Walker Howe, historian, What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America, 1815-1848, published in 2007
Based on the excerpt, which of the following groups would have been most likely to oppose Henry Clay's ideas?

Answer 1

Hi,

Based on the given excerpt, the group most likely to oppose Henry Clay's ideas would be those who favored free trade and believed in limited government intervention in the economy, and here's why:

• 1. Henry Clay's American System proposed the use of protective tariffs. Tariffs are taxes imposed on imported goods, which increase their prices and make them less competitive in the domestic market. Those who favored free trade believed in the importance of open markets and saw tariffs as barriers to international trade. They would likely oppose Clay's idea of using tariffs to protect American industries from foreign competition.

• 2. The American System called for the federal government to subsidize internal improvements. This means that the government would financially support infrastructure projects, such as roads and canals, to promote economic development. However, those who believed in limited government intervention in the economy might oppose this idea. They would argue that the government should not use taxpayer money to fund such projects and that the free market should determine the allocation of resources.

• 3. The American System aimed to create a home market for agricultural commodities by promoting industry. This means that by developing American manufacturing and agricultural enterprises, there would be a greater demand for agricultural products. However, some agricultural interests might oppose this idea. They may fear that promoting industry could divert resources away from agriculture or result in increased competition for their products.

Overall, those who favored free trade, believed in limited government intervention, or had specific agricultural interests might have been most likely to oppose Henry Clay's ideas as outlined in the given excerpt.

Let me know if my answer is wrong or not what you were looking for because I would like to help all I can.

If you have any questions let me know and I may be able to help.

I hope that my answer helped you out. :)

Answer 2

It was opposed by the Democratic Party of Andrew Jackson, Martin Van Buren, James K. Polk, Franklin Pierce, and James Buchanan prior to the Civil War, often on the grounds that the points of it were unconstitutional

Step-by-step explanation:

According to the excerpt you provided, Henry Clay’s American System constituted the basis for social improvement through sale of its enormous land holdings, the federal government could well afford to subsidize internal improvements. By levying protective tariffs, the government should foster the development of American manufacturing and agricultural enterprises that, in their infancy, might not be able to withstand foreign competition. The promotion of industry would create a home market for agricultural commodities, just as farms provided a market for manufactured products1. The American System became the leading tenet of the Whig Party of Henry Clay and Daniel Webster. It was opposed by the Democratic Party of Andrew Jackson, Martin Van Buren, James K. Polk, Franklin Pierce, and James Buchanan prior to the Civil War, often on the grounds that the points of it were unconstitutional