Final answer:
Statement C, which says that the American System intended to make the U.S. dependent on foreign imports, is NOT true. Option C is correct.
Step-by-step explanation:
The American System
The question asks which statement is NOT true about the American System. The correct answer to this is C. Its purpose was to make the U.S. dependent on imports from foreign countries. The American System, proposed by Henry Clay, emphasized a strong economic strategy that included the use of protective tariffs, a national bank, and internal improvements such as roads and canals.
The purpose of the protective tariff was to support American manufacturing by making foreign imports more expensive, thereby encouraging the consumption of domestic goods. This would make the nation less reliant on foreign goods, in contrast to statement C.
Meanwhile, the national bank aimed to stabilize the currency and credit supply. Furthermore, internal improvements would bolster the connection and communication between different regions, beneficial for moving raw materials and finished goods efficiently.
The American System was designed to unify the North and South, promote domestic industry, and enhance the country's overall economic interdependence. Henry Clay envisioned a system that would ultimately benefit all regions of the country by establishing an economically independent and unified nation through these means.
The American System aimed to support American industry by imposing protective tariffs, creating a national bank, and encouraging internal improvements, thereby making the U.S. less dependent on foreign imports.