Final answer:
Alexander Hamilton's economic program was aimed at encouraging industrial development, aligning with option C. His strategies included the establishment of a national bank, protective tariffs, and subsidies for domestic industries to create a robust and self-sufficient economy.
Step-by-step explanation:
Alexander Hamilton's economic program was designed with the intention of promoting economic development within the newly formed United States. His initiatives such as the Report on the Bank and Report on Manufactures aimed to encourage industrial development and elevate the connection between the federal government and the manufacturing sector. Hamilton wanted to strengthen the nation's financial system, improve public credit, and support commercial and agricultural interests through a multifaceted approach, including the establishment of a national bank, the implementation of a protective tariff, and the endorsement of manufacturing.
To answer the student's question, the primary goal of Alexander Hamilton's economic program was C. Encourage industrial development. By implementing protective tariffs, proposing bounties for vital businesses, and funding transportation infrastructure, Hamilton was able to merge the interests of agriculture and manufacturing, decreasing dependency on foreign trade and fostering the growth of American industry.
One of his policies that provoked controversy regarding speculators benefiting over soldiers was the public credit plan, which involved assuming state debts and funding them at face value, favoring those who had bought debts from soldiers at a fraction of their price. As such, the answer to which of his financial policies benefitted speculators at the expense of poor soldiers would be B. the public credit plan.