Download Tariff of 1828 (Abominations) The Tariff of 1828 The culmination

Tariff of 1828 (Abominations)
The Tariff of 1828
The culmination came with the Tariff of 1828, ridiculed by free traders as the “Tariff of
Abominations,” with import custom duties (tax on imports) averaging over 25 percent.
Intense political opposition to higher tariffs came from Southern Democrats and
plantation owners in South Carolina who had almost no manufacturing industry and
imported many products with high Tariffs. They would have to pay more for imports
while getting less for the cotton they sold abroad. They claimed their economic interest
was being unfairly injured.
Effects of the Tariff
Faced with a reduced market for goods and pressured by British abolitionists (people who
want slavery to end), the British reduced their imports of cotton from the United States,
which weakened the southern economy even more. The tariff forced the South to buy
manufactured goods from US manufacturers, mainly in the North, at a higher price, while
the south also faced a reduced income from lost sales of raw materials. Yet despite these
economic troubles experienced by the South, the U.S. witnessed net economic growth
with income increasing from 888 million in 1828 to 1.118 billion by 1832, largely due to
the growth of the northern manufacturing.
Writing Prompt
During the time period of the Industrial Revolution and the “American System”, the
United States experienced great change. Many great ideas and inventions came from this
change, but there was also the creation of distrust and hostility. Defend the position that
the Industrial Revolution and the American System led to the development of
Sectionalism (different parts of the country have different views). Justify your statements
by giving supporting examples from the Industrial Revolution and the American System.