Final answer:
Henry Clay played a significant role during the Bank War and the veto. He convinced the director of the Second Bank of the United States to apply for re-charter early and led an effort to censure President Jackson. Clay's actions laid the groundwork for the formation of the Whig Party as an opposition to Jackson.
Step-by-step explanation:
Henry Clay during the Bank War and the Veto
Henry Clay played a significant role during the Bank War and the veto. In 1832, Clay and Daniel Webster convinced the director of the Second Bank of the United States, Nicholas Biddle, to apply for re-charter early. They believed that Congress would vote in favor of the bank and that President Andrew Jackson would not risk vetoing the measure because it was popular with the American people.
When Jackson vetoed the re-charter bill, Clay led a successful effort to censure the president in 1834, which helped lay the foundation for the formation of the Whig Party as a legitimate opposition party. The Whig Party found common ground in their opposition to Jackson's actions against the bank, and they took advantage of this issue to build their party.
Clay's involvement in these events demonstrates his opposition to Jackson's actions and his efforts to defend the bank, which he believed was essential for maintaining economic and judicial nationalism in the United States.