The American System as a Cultural
System, 1789-1837
University of Alaska Anchorage
Songho Ha
University of Alaska Anchorage
Songho Ha
A. What was the American System?
1. An economic and cultural policy
package in the post-War of 1812 United
States
2. Political platform of the National
Republicans in the 1810s and 1820s and
the Whig Party in the 1830s and 1840s
University of Alaska Anchorage
Songho Ha
3. Coined by Henry Clay (March 31,
1824): “a genuine American system” –
protection of domestic manufactures
through protective tariffs
University of Alaska Anchorage
Songho Ha
Henry Clay (1777-1852)
University of Alaska Anchorage
Songho Ha
4. Policies
a. Protective Tariffs
b. Internal Improvements (roads and
canals)
c. National Bank (The First Bank of the
United States: 1791-1811; The
Second Bank of the United States:
1816-1836)
d. Public Land Policies for Revenue
University of Alaska Anchorage
Songho Ha
The American System
Protective
Tariffs
Internal
Improvements:
Roads and
Canals
National
Bank
Public
Land
Policies
University of Alaska Anchorage
Songho Ha
5. Approach: Initiatives of the federal
government in the economy
6. Economic purpose: Creation of domestic
market
a. South: cotton
b. West: grains and livestock
c. Northeast: manufacturing
University of Alaska Anchorage
Songho Ha
7. Political Purpose: strengthening of the union
of different sections: “American” System
8. The American “System”
a. Internal Improvements: justification for the
continuation of Protective Tariffs and
revenue oriented public land policies
b. National Bank: financial arm of the federal
government
University of Alaska Anchorage
Songho Ha
9. Examples of the American System
a. Protective Tariffs Acts of 1828 and
1832
b. Cumberland (National) Road (18111839)
c. The Second Bank of the United
States (1816-1836)
d. Rejection of the Graduation and
Cession proposals
University of Alaska Anchorage
Songho Ha
Cumberland Road
University of Alaska Anchorage
Songho Ha
The Second Bank of the United States
(Philadelphia)
University of Alaska Anchorage
Songho Ha
B. The American System as a Cultural
System
1. George Washington
a. First Annual Message (January 8,
1790)- promotion of science,
culture and aids to “seminaries of
learning and… or creation of a
national university”
University of Alaska Anchorage
Songho Ha
The American System
Protective
Tariffs
Internal
Improve- Cultural National
ments: Improve- Bank
Roads and ments
Canals
Public
Land
Policies
b. Farewell Address (September 17,
1796)
1) Creation of a domestic market
2) “progressive improvement of
interior communications by land
and water”
3) Union as “a main prop of your
liberty”
University of Alaska Anchorage
Songho Ha
c. Eighth Annual Message (December 7,
1796)
1) a national university:
- “the common education of a
portion of our youth from every
quarter”
-”the more homogeneous our
citizens can be made… the
greater will be our prospect of
permanent union.”
University of Alaska Anchorage
Songho Ha
d. George Washington: Commander of the
Continental Army
1) Frustrated by the jealousies among
states
2) Continental perspective
University of Alaska Anchorage
Songho Ha
George Washington
University of Alaska Anchorage
Songho Ha
2. Thomas Jefferson
a. Second inaugural address (March 4,
1805): “rivers, canals, arts,
manufactures, and education”
b. Sixth annual message (December 2,
1806): “Education is here placed
among the articles of public care…”
University of Alaska Anchorage
Songho Ha
c. Minister to France (1785-1789)
d. Alexander Hamilton’s comments on
Jefferson (January 16, 1801): “he
[Jefferson] was generally for a
large construction of the Executive
authority.”
University of Alaska Anchorage
Songho Ha
Thomas Jefferson
University of Alaska Anchorage
Songho Ha
3. James Madison
a. Second Annual Message (December
5, 1810): “ a well-constituted seminary
in the center of the nation,” “to
strengthen the foundations” and “to
adorn the structure of our free and
happy system of government”
University of Alaska Anchorage
Songho Ha
b. Father of the United States
Constitution:
1) Drafted the Virginia Plan before
the Constitutional Convention
(May- September 1787)
2) Coauthored the Federalist
Papers (1787-1788)
University of Alaska Anchorage
Songho Ha
James Madison
University of Alaska Anchorage
Songho Ha
4. Culmination in John Quincy Adams’
First Annual Address (December 6, 1825)
a. A national university in Washington D.C.,
an astronomical observatory, survey of the
northwest coast, creation of a new
Department of the Interior
b. “Liberty is power.”
University of Alaska Anchorage
Songho Ha
John Quincy Adams
University of Alaska Anchorage
Songho Ha
Andrew Jackson
University of Alaska Anchorage
Songho Ha
Acknowledgements
• UAA Provost’s Office
• UAA CAS Dean’s Office
• UAA CAFE (Center for Advancing Faculty
Excellence)
• UAA Complex Systems Group
• UAA History Department
• Consortium Library Staff
• Student Assistant Orion Allen
University of Alaska Anchorage
Songho Ha
Orion Allen
University of Alaska Anchorage
Songho Ha