Improvement In Henry Clay's American System

In Henry Clay’s American System, the southern states were to serve as subsides for the internal improvements in the urban areas in the northern states. Without the South, Lincoln only had the Border States, and the New England states left. The Border States were “shaky” in whose side they were going to be on, especially lukewarm, Maryland because of its diverse population. When Lincoln called for arms after the attack on Fort Sumter, Maryland revealed its conflicted soul. It had both Northern and Southern sympathizers. However, what hit the nail on the head for forcing Maryland to remain in the Union had to do with partially, Lincoln’s political agenda and partially his military agenda. Maryland was the home of the Naval Academy in Annapolis and the home of West Point Military Academy. The city of Baltimore had a key harbor for supplies and shipbuilding. Lincoln would …show more content…
The Baltimore Riot happened on April 19, 1861 while the troops from Massachusetts passed through. Baltimoreans, probably Southern sympathizers thought the Union transport to be an invasion. “There would be no bloodshed or violence unless it be forced the national authority.” Well, the Baltimore mob attacked the Union soldiers. Thus, as Lincoln said in his Inaugural Address that he would use his powers to defend the Union. When the Massachusetts companies fired into the mob, it was in the name of protecting the Union according to Lincoln, the national authority. Lincoln said, “In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow-countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war.” After the riot, he acquiesced to Governor Hicks’ letter that he would reroute Union soldiers around the city of Baltimore, but that did not mean he was going to stop occupying Maryland as a Union transit. He argued with the Baltimore