Final answer:
The Bank of the United States was opposed by both soft-money and hard-money advocates in the 1830s, which is represented by option D. Soft-money advocates wanted more paper money in circulation, while hard-money advocates desired currency backed by gold and silver.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the 1830s, the Bank of the United States was opposed primarily by soft-money advocates and hard-money advocates, making the correct answer D. These two groups had different reasons for their opposition. Soft-money advocates, including western farmers and Conservative Democrats, preferred more paper currency which was not backed by gold or silver (i.e., specie) to help increase credit and spending power. They were against the bank's tendency to restrict the circulation of paper currency. On the other hand, hard-money advocates, such as those fearing economic instability and inflation, championed the use of gold and silver as the only secure backing for currency and saw the bank's practices as damaging.
Henry Clay, mentioned in option C and referenced in the historical context, was a political opponent of President Andrew Jackson and did oppose Jackson's policies, including the dismantling of the Bank. However, the specific opposition to the Bank itself came from these advocacy groups who had fundamentally conflicting views on the monetary policy of the time.