Title: The History of U.S. Tariff Policies
Headings: The History of U.S. Tariff Policies
The History of U.S. Tariff Policies
1789
1807
1812
1828
1846
1861
Reconstruction Era
1913
1930
1947
1974
1994
1995
2018
2018-2019

Content: The History of U.S. Tariff Policies
The History of U.S. Tariff Policies
1789
The Tariff Act of 1789 was designed to protect manufacturing in the U.S. and generate revenue for the government. It was the first major piece of legislation passed since the ratification of the Constitution and was signed by President George Washington. After the American Revolution, the U.S. was unable to reach trade deals with most European nations and needed to prevent a flood of foreign goods from damaging domestic manufacturers. 1807
The Embargo Act of 1807 prohibited American ships from trading in all foreign ports. President Thomas Jefferson passed the Act in response to the British-French war, which saw American ships seized by both sides, since the U.S. was neutral in the conflict. 1812
Ultimately the War of 1812 broke out between the U.S. and Britain due to Britain blocking off neutral trade with France. Tariffs were raised after the war to generate income for the government and continue to protect U.S. industries from the influx of cheaper British goods. 1828
The Tariff of 1828, known by many in the South as the “Tariff of Abominations,” was created during the presidency of John Quincy Adams to protect the industry in the North. It set a 38 percent tax on 92 percent of imported goods and a 45 percent tax on raw materials, such as tobacco and cotton. This was one of the first major issues that began to divide the North and the South leading up to the Civil War.