National Bank Act

…after the passage of the National Bank Act of 1863, which provided for the incorporation of national banks under federal law and the issue of bank notes on the security of government bonds. The term wildcat bank was subsequently applied to any unstable bank.

…(1863–65) he successfully implemented the National Bank Act of 1863, authorizing the issuance of national bank notes by national banks. As secretary of the Treasury (1865–69) under Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson, McCulloch attempted to return the United States to the gold standard by withdrawing from circulation paper money…

The National Bank Act of 1863 provided for the federal charter and supervision of a system of banks known as national banks; they were to circulate a stable, uniform national currency secured by federal bonds deposited by each bank with the comptroller of the currency (often…