The year is 1828. You are a senator from a Southern state. Congress has just
passed a high tax on imported cloth and iron in order to protect Northern
industry. The tax will raise the cost of these goods in the South and will cause
Britain to buy less cotton. Southern states hope to nullify, or cancel, such
federal laws that they consider unfair.
Would you support the federal or state
government?
What might happen if some states enforce laws and
others don’t ?
How can Congress address the needs of different
states?
What does it mean to be a nation?
Regional
Economies Create
Differences
 What is a compromise?
 Think of a few examples, either historically (from
our class so far) or in your own lives. . .
 As the United States
developed economically
and socially, various
sections of the country
grew apart
 Compromises between
these regions attempted
to create national unity
 These compromises had
only temporary success in
creating interdependent
sections of the nation
Regional Economic Differences
Became increasingly
connected with the
West
Became increasingly
isolated
Middle class
was created
Benefited from
new technology
Wave of
immigrants
arrived
Benefited from the
‘American System’
Cities grew
Slavery mostly
died out by 1804
Cities stayed
small
Slow population
growth
Education
was poor
Slavery flourished
Lets Evaluate!
 Which of these regional economic
differences do you think will have the
largest impact on the strength of the union
going forward?
American System
 A federal system of roads, canals,
bridges, lighthouses, and
universities
 The purpose of these improvements
was to encourage the development and
interdependence of American industries
 A high tariff was placed on foreign
goods to help American industry
 Resurrection of the National Bank to
create a stable national currency
 Senators Clay (KY) and Calhoun
(SC) main supporters of Madison’s
plan
 The goal was to be financially
independent and strong while
uniting the nation as a whole
Tariff of 1816
 British sales of iron and textiles were
undercutting American made goods
 President Madison proposes a
protective tariff
 North supports tariff
 South and West resented government
intervention
 Clay and Calhoun persuade Congress to
pass the tariff
A compromise is struck
 The South disliked the
tariff
 Westerners opposed
the national bank
 Northerners disliked
federal expenditures on
roads etc.
 As a compromise
Congress only adopts:
 A renewed Nat’l Bank
 A protective Tariff
 Internal improvements
were left to the states
 This American system
while creating wealth
for the United States
sewed the seeds of
regional difference and
mistrust
Create a Map
 You will each create a map displaying the
major roads, canals and railroads built in
the United States by 1840 (use p 217 for
help)
 You must include a color coded key in the
space provided
Map Analysis
 Base the answers to the following questions
on the map you’ve created:
 What is the farthest west any railroad extends?
 What state has the most roads, railroads, and
canals within its borders (total length)?
 What region, north, south, or west contained the
most roads, railroads or canals?
 What (besides where roads, RRs and canals
were) can you learn from your map?