Can you address the points as presented, and not as modified? I said international trade not imports.
2. The tariffs protected northern industry, and had almost no effect on the South. Remember, tariffs are federal taxes charged on imports, not exports.
It's called trade for a reason. The US was not unilaterally importing European goods, and the balance of exports were composed of Southern agricultural products. Here's an analogy: If I'm at a casino here in Iowa and win more than 1000 dollars, there is a tax agent on-site who comes over and takes 40% of it. Without that agent present, my winnings are worth 167% of what they are when he's through with me.
My guess is that you cannot provide a counterexample which shows that imports can be affected unilaterally; it would be sufficient to refute point #2. Perhaps if there were a rare commodity where a single country controlled a monopoly on production of goods it would be possible, but not applicable to the discussion we're having.
1. The Southern economy was heavily dependent on international trade.
2. Protectionist tarrifs are specifically designed to stifle international trade.
True.
2. Protectionist tarrifs are specifically designed to stifle international trade.
False.