d) Bank of the United States

The Bank of the United States, established in 1791, was America’s first bank and a brainchild of Alexander Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury. Its creation was part of Hamilton’s plan to stabilize and improve the nation’s credit and to handle the Revolutionary War debt. The bank played a crucial role in the development of the federal government’s fiscal policy and was a cornerstone in the establishment of a modern financial system in the United States. Although controversial and the subject of political debate, the Bank of the United States was a significant step in the nation’s economic development.