South Carolina Nullification

Debates over which powers were rightly the states and rightly the federal governments were already tense and the question of whether slavery should or shouldn’t exist in the new territories of America, added on to the already strained relationship between the two sides. Document A describes this situation as a cup on the edge of the shelf, certain things almost pushing it over the edge such as the addition of new states being free or under a slavery economy. Many compromises were formed to try and keep states’ rights as well as keep power for the government. The south wanted to assert their authority over the federal government so they could abolish federal rights they didn’t support, this was

Calhoun once strongly supported the tariff of 1816, but around the 1820's he concluded that the tariff was responsible for the stagnation of the state's economy. Although, the real cause was because of the exhaustion of South Carolina's farmland. Many tired Carolinian's started to consider secession as a fix for that problem. With Calhoun's future political hopes residing on how he met this challenge, Calhoun developed the theory on nullification. The theory of nullification stated that any state had the right to nullify, or discredit any federal law which that state found unconstitutional. Calhoun got some of his ideas for nullification from Jefferson and Madison and citing the Tenth Amendment from the constitution. Calhoun argued since the federal government was a creation of the states, the states were the final decision makers when it came down to the constitutionally of federal laws. If a state decided that Congress or the courts had passed an unconstitutional law, then the state could hold a convention and declare that law null and void within the state. The nullification doctrine, and the intention of using it to nullify the tariff of 1828 rapidly attracted the attention and support of South Carolina's

Correspondingly, there was the quarrel over state versus federal rights. States felt they didn’t have any say if they disliked a federal law. So when all these compromises came about concerning slavery in the West, people wanted to be able to nullify federal laws. To nullify is to cancel, and in this case to cancel a federal law. People like John C. Calhoun fought for this right along with many others. However, the federal government felt this was not necessary, therefore, some states threatened to secede.

The Nullification Crisis was a revolt by the citizens against Andrew Jackson and the Union, whereby they sought liberty and the state of being free, including various social, political, and economic privileges. This attempt to revolt against Jackson failed, and their seceding from the country was not granted. In these efforts to secede, they sought liberty and worked together as a state to gain what they believed to be free and include various privileges they rightfully have.

During the late 1820s, John C. Calhoun believed that the tariff of 1816 was responsible for the decline of the South Carolina economy. Calhoun believed that if he developed the Theory of Nullification people in his home state would view him differently. The Theory of Nullification is the idea that states (unions) have the rights to void any law that is created by the government that is seen unconstitutional. States are the foundation of the Union, so they have the power to refuse any unconstitutional laws, and really states usually have the final say. What really caused the Nullification Crisis were many series of Protective Tariffs. Protective Tariffs are taxes placed on imported goods that are from foreign countries and their duty is to raise the price of foreign goods, making them less attractive to consumers protecting them from foreign competition such as; The Tariff of 1816 that placed a 20-25 percent tax on foreign goods, The Tariff of 1824 which placed a 35 percent duty tax on imported iron, wool, hemp, and cotton, finally the Tariff of 1828 which is also known as the Tariff of Abominations it was the third protective tariff and increased taxes to almost 50 percent.

In a world where there will always be constant opposition, humanity must learn to use it as a weapon rather than a weakness. The stronger an individual or in this case a nation is, the more challenges and trials one must face. As the federal government’s power increased, the more rebellion and revolution surfaced. Many will say that the more power equaled less problems. However, that is simply untrue, because someone will always have to make a choice, like how as long as there is strength in this world, there will be a vulnerability to overcome. For example, the Whiskey Rebellion and the Nullification Crisis were determining factors of how opposition will come as long as there is power in the midst. Therefore, these two specific historical markers help show the true colors of a nation through the motives and effectiveness of federal power and constant opposition. In every abyss of darkness, there will be a light to shine through and break that barrier. History is what makes the world’s character as well the inhabitants that remain within. The Whiskey Rebellion was a way for people who appear as commoners to finally take a stand against the government, especially Alexander Hamilton’s taxes that were being put into place. Which brings the other tipping point, which is known as the Nullification Crisis, it gave the federal government a wake-up call, for it showed no matter how much power increased, there will always be a voice out there ready to be heard. And the Nullification

The tariff of 1828 which is also known as “Tariff of Abomination” was the main cause of the Nullification Crisis. The Nullification Crisis was the political crisis that started from the year 1832-1833 that involved a confrontation between the federal government and South Carolina. “the tariff of 1828, which raise taxes on imported manufactured goods made of wool as well as on raw materials like iron, had aroused considerable opposition in the South, nowhere more than in South Carolina, where it was called the tariff of abominations” (Foner 391). By assisting the tariff, taxes were raised on imported goods that were paid by the southerners to benefit the North, the legislature would threaten to “nullify” it by giving domestic industries a

“In a government where sectional interests and feelings may come into conflict, the sole security for permanence and peace is to be found in a Constitution whose provisions are inviolable” (Document B). But, what if the answer is not found in the Constitution? At this time there was an increasing sectional conflict between the North and the South. The problems arose mainly from the issue of slavery, and came largely after the Mexican war. Although the issue of slavery had never been fully resolved, it became a very heated subject during the 1850’s. The Constitution never took a clear stand on the issue, and the people began to see it more as source of sectional discord and tension and they ultimately began to see it as a

In1832 on December 10th, President Andrew Jackson gave his Proclamation on the Nullification controversy between the Union and South Carolina. This Proclamation on Nullification was written by his Secretary of State, Edward Livingston, declaring that President Jackson wanted the laws of the land to be understood in a paternal sense ensuring no other states would make the same attempt of succession that South Carolina had against the Supreme Court on the 1828 Tariffs and the Constitution. The Nullification was a big controversy between the state and the federal government, but it is the way President Jackson handled the situation that impacted the United States and my opinion on them building an optimistic future.

The Nullification Crisis was an event (1833) that was composed of southern states refusing to follow federal laws and therefore ‘nullifying’ them. President Andrew Jackson believed that by nullifying the federal laws, then the Southern states would eventually tear apart from the union and it’d be the end of the United States. He was distressed about how the southern states weren’t following the federal laws, and worried that the states were gaining too much power and thus were going to endanger the success of the United States and its citizens. Jackson acted with force to ensure that there was no disunion in the country, and that United States would stay whole, just as any normal citizen would be worried about

This caused a crisis in the United States in 1832-1833 when South Carolina continued to nullify tariff acts issued by the federal government under the presidency of Andrew Jackson. Jackson released a Nullification Proclamation that took away a states’ right to nullify any federal law. After this Proclamation, Jackson sent ships to South Carolina to collect the tariffs. This message is seen as an act of preserving the Union because Jackson was trying to prevent a state from seceding. He worked to strengthen the federal government to prevent any state from seceding from the Union, preserving

In 1828, Congress passed a protective tariff that made the southern states extremely angry, because they felt it only benefited the northern states. Calhoun argued the federal government only existed for the will of the states, so if a state found a federal law unconstitutional and did not support it, the states have the right to "nullify" that law within its borders. This is similar to the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions because they stated that the Alien and Sedation acts were unconstitutional. It argued that the states had the right to declare unconstitutional acts. Also, both of these were written anonymously at the time by vice presidents, Calhoun and Jefferson.

The wide gathering in the State of South Carolina, an assembly amassed, on the April 26, 1852, they announced that the normal encroachment of the Constitution of the United States, made by the Federal Government, and its encroachments upon the saved advantages of the States, completely ensured this State in then pulling again from the Federal Union; yet entranced to the suspicions and wishes of the other slaveholding States, she abandoned around then to practice this advantage. Ever since then, these so called encroachments have kept on developing, and further limitation stops to be an expectedness. Also, at the time the State of South Carolina having continued with her unmistakable and proportionate spot among countries, considers it in connection

The Nullification Crisis was a major political crisis that began with the Tariff of Abominations of 1828, which occurred during the presidency of Andrew Jackson involving a conflict with the United States Federal Government and South Carolina. South Carolina felt the Tariff was unconstitutional and

For this PSD-A, I decided to analyze Virginia’s declaration of secession, mainly because while Virginia did become part of the Confederacy, they had conflicting opinions and were still rather ‘close’ to the Union. Virginia’s first reason is because the Federal Government has “perverted said powers.” The document also makes a point of how the Federal Government has oppressed both Virginia and the rest of the “Southern Slaveholding States.” I think there are multiple reasons for this statement. Firstly, Virginia was probably standing up for what was ‘right;’ I doing so, also giving the other slave states a voice. Secondly, all the Southern states relied heavily on slave labor, so they seceded to protect their economy. No matter the reason, Virginia