Year

Name

Description

1789

Tariff of 1789

Primarily for revenue; some protection for "infant industries;" (Washington administration).

1816

Tariff of 1816

First protective tariff; Clay and Calhoun supported as part of American System; Southern cotton growers opposed; (Madison administration).

1824

Tariff of 1824

Further heightening of rates; growing opposition from South; (Monroe administration).

1828

"Tariff of Abominations"

Higher protective measures for New England mills; Southerners outraged, including Calhoun; (J.Q. Adams administration).

1832

Tariff of 1832

Moderate reform returned rates to 1824 levels; unmoved South Carolina sparked Nullification Crisis; (Jackson administration).

1833

Tariff of 1833

Clay compromise; gradual reduction of rates over time to 1816 levels; New England states opposed; (Jackson administration).

1842

Tariff of 1842

Upward revision forced by depression following Panic of 1837; (Tyler administration).

1846

Walker Tariff

Democrats controlled Congress; West supported tariff reduction in hope of selling grain abroad; move toward tariff for revenue only; (Polk administration).

1857

Tariff of 1857

Downward tariff revision to almost free trade status; North opposed; (Buchanan administration).

1861-
1865

Wartime tariff acts

Steadily increased protectionism to help fund Union war costs; South not represented in Congress during Civil War; (Buchanan and Lincoln administrations).

1872

Tariff of 1872

Post-war reform tariff, reduced rates on some manufactured goods; (Grant administration).

1875

Tariff of 1875

Continued downward revision; average rates reduced by 10 percent; (Grant administration).

1883

"Mongrel" Tariff

Republicans abandoned reform; compromise satisfied no one; (Arthur administration).

1890

McKinley Tariff

Highest protective tariff to date: average 48 percent; (B. Harrison administration).

1894

Wilson-Gorman Tariff

Reform measure crippled by Senate amendments; (Cleveland 2nd administration).

1897

Dingley Tariff

Blatantly protective measure; some rates at 57 percent; (McKinley administration).

1909

Payne-Aldrich Tariff

Attempt to lower average level of duties; little meaningful reform; Progressives angered; (Taft administration).

1913

Underwood-Simmons Tariff

Democrats took control of Congress; general duty reduction soon negated by outbreak of World War I; federal income tax provision; (Wilson administration).

1921

Emergency Tariff

Republicans returned to power and responded to mini-depression; raised agricultural rates to protect farmers; only a stopgap measure until new law written; (Harding administration).

1922

Fordney-McCumber Tariff

Increased rates sharply; president empowered to adjust rates; Tariff Commission created to advise president; (Harding administration).

1930

Hawley-Smoot Tariff

Raised U.S. duties to an all-time high; 1,000 economists protested; foreign retaliation; (Hoover administration).

1934

Hull Trade Pacts

Reciprocal treaties to reduce tariffs and stimulate trade during depression; (F. Roosevelt administration).

1948

General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)

United Nations organization created to seek tariff reductions.

1962

Trade Expansion Act

President received authority to negotiate tariff reductions up to 50 percent; aimed primarily at European Economic Community (later European Union); (Kennedy administration).

1963-
1967

"Kennedy Round"

GATT talks aimed at tariff reduction, primarily with Western Europe; approximate 33 percent reductions; (L. Johnson administration).

1973-
1979

"Tokyo Round"

GATT talks aimed at non-tariff trade barriers; included non-GATT members; (Nixon administration).

1974

Trade Act of 1974

President given authority to end tariff duties against products from developing nations; (Ford administration).

1993

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

U.S., Canada and Mexico end most trade barriers; (Clinton administration).

1994

GATT/WTO

New GATT agreement signed; World Trade Organization (WTO) formed; (Clinton administration).