Alexander Hamilton's program included which elements?

• A. A national bank, assumption of state debts by the federal government, and a tariff system to pay off the national debt.
• B. A flat tax and a balanced-budget amendment.
• C. Abolition of pensions for veterans.
• D. Distribution of land to colonists.

Answer: (A)

Understanding Hamilton's financial program for the new nation. He argued the United States needed a strong, centralized financial system to pay debts, unify the states, and build credit. The plan called for three key moves: creating a national bank to stabilize the economy and manage government funds; having the federal government assume state debts from the Revolutionary War to bind states to the federal government and strengthen national credit; and instituting a tariff system to raise revenue and fund debt payments while encouraging domestic industry. These elements together show a strategy to establish a stable financial foundation and centralized national power. The other options don’t align with this program—they reflect ideas not part of Hamilton’s plan, such as a flat tax and a balanced-budget measure, or policies like abolishing veterans’ pensions or distributing land to colonists.