Lesson 7 Discussion

The Hayne-Webster Debate Name Course Lecturer Date The Hayne-Webster debate is arguably one of the most significant series of debates in the history of the USA. The debate was a true test of the interpretation of the constitution of the nation. It started initially as a debate concerning public lands and it came at a difficult time when the economy of the nation was looming behind the economy of most European nations (Morris, 1996). Daniel Webster was a hardliner for the constitution and a proponent of nationalism and the protective tariff. Robert Y. Hayne on the other hand was a proponent of sovereignty of the member states and greatly opposed the protective tariff (Morris, 1996). Though the interpretation by Hayne of the constitution may have held water, the idea of unionism by Webster would be much more convincing. The need for nationalism at that period in America was indeed necessary since the nation’s economy was looming far behind the economies of most of the nations in Europe. According to Morris, America was highly dependent on the industrial products from the European countries (1996). The promotion of industries within the nation would therefore mean a boost to the economy through taxat...