Under Clay's "American System," the factories protected by the tariff would run at a profit and employ:

A. the urban population

B. the rural population

C. the merchants

D. the serfs

A. The Urban Population. The factories protected by the tariff would run at a profit and employ the urban population. The city dwellers would constitute an increased market for agricultural products and would manufacture goods for use in farming regions. The farms would supply raw materials to the factories and food to a growing urban population. Clay’s American plan was rejected, but Congress was able to pass protective tariff.