During the early days of industrialization many members of Congress believed that tariffs were necessary to help new American industries compete with larger European industries that were already established. A tariff was a tax placed on a specific item or good being produced. They believed this would protect specific industries rather than the economy as a whole.
help and protect new American industries compete with large established and industrialized foreign factories, namely Western Europeans. They believed this as high tariffs against manufactured foreign goods reduced the import of them, thus, promoting the national companies.
