Question

The U.S. financial system encountered a number of “financial panics” before 1913 since there was not a _______________ to make loans to troubled commercial banks.

Answer 1

There was not a treasury department or a central bank. Basically, they needed a higher institution to get them out of problems if they ever got into one because the country didn't want to let banks go out of business. So eventually a treasury department would be created and the banks would be protected from failure because the state would help them stay in business.