THE AMERICA(N) SYSTEM
*By Henry Clay (who manages to stay in Congress)
*It was a "neo-Federalist program of protective tariffs, internal improvements, and a national bank."

**(protective) Tariff of 1816: First protective tariff that protected small industries, although their goods were more expensive and inferior in quality to the European goods. Clay was determined to make the U.S. less dependent on foreign trade after the War of 1812. Also used to raise revenue.

**Second National Bank: The first bank proposed by Hamilton was rejected, but this one is quickly passed by Congress. It issued notes, and thus regulated currency. Hoped that this way the state bank notes (which were grossly inflated) would be invalidated. The Bank also had the power to tell the state banks whether they should put their money in reserve or out on loans, alongside overseeing them.

**Internal Improvements: A system of bridges, canals, and roads to connect the country. Congress goes ahead and passes it "to finish it up" because it's already in progress, but then the President argues that unless this kind of power is specified in the form of a new amendment, it will not be passed. It is not passed and the states take on the job of making a transportation system. They made the Eerie Canal (NY did) and toll roads.
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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~Transportation Improvements: The transportation system is horrible and the shipping of goods is a complicated thing before 1815. *~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
*But soon canals, steamboats, and generally better roads tie the country together and pave the way for a market economy.
*In 1816, Congress authizies the national road (which links the Potomac and Ohio Rivers). Philadelphia connects with Pittsburg.
*In 1817: The first steamship steamship (by Robert Fulton) called Clermont sets off. This allows shipping to upstream as well as downstream.
*In 1825: The Eerie Canal comes around, and other states adopt this idea. From 1825-1840, the time period is known as the "Canal Era"
*The first railroads come around, and was first implemented to connect cities in the East with rivers and canals. As it becomes more used, it extends from the NE to the NW. By 1860, although the railroad system is used to connect places inland (like towns and cities) it also ends up connecting the NE, and NW. This leads to a more unified market.
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~In other news, there was some confusion about the essay we had to do. Mr. G took the ones from people who had done it (and he's still not sure as to whether or not he'll give extra points to them) but otherwise, they're due Wednesday.
~Oh, and we should all also start doing our homework because in SchoolNotes it says that we're going to be getting in groups in class soon to discuss the assignments.
~(P.S. I dunno why the font is coming out all weird on the first paragraph.)