In 1930, in a protectionist effort to encourage Americans to buy domestic products, Congress passed the:
Explanation
Answer: C - Congress passed the Tariff Act of 1930, or the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act, to protect the American marketplace. However, the tariff was ultimately detrimental. When America reduced its imports due to the rise in costs imposed by the tariff, the countries from which it imported goods suffered as a result. Subsequently, they retaliated by importing fewer American goods, causing a dramatic decrease in American exports. Overall, the American economy suffered rather than prospered with the tariff in place, and it was one of the causes of the Great Depression’s severity.