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How did John C. Calhoun influence the Nullification Crisis?
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Nullification Crisis
U.S. Pres. Andrew Jackson issued his “Proclamation to the People of South Carolina” on December 10, 1832, in response to South Carolina's refusal to be bound by federal tariffs. In it Jackson asserted the supremacy of the federal government and rejected South Carolina's argument that it, as a state, had the right to reject laws made by the federal government that it deemed unconstitutional. Jackson's proclamation was an escalation of the Nullification Crisis, and some argue that it helped lay the foundation for the American Civil War.
John C. Calhoun was the primary architect and driving force behind the Nullification Crisis, a confrontation between South Carolina and the federal government over the Tariffs of 1828 and 1832.12
His influence was exerted through several key actions:
- Theoretical Foundation: Calhoun secretly authored the South Carolina Exposition and Protest in 1828, which articulated the doctrine of nullification. He argued that the U.S. Constitution was a compact among sovereign states, granting them the right to declare federal acts unconstitutional and void within their borders.23
- Political Leadership: He championed the concept of the "concurrent majority," intended to protect minority interests—specifically the institution of slavery—from the potential tyranny of a federal majority.23
- Direct Action: In 1832, Calhoun resigned as vice president to serve in the Senate, where he became the leading voice for South Carolina’s Ordinance of Nullification. He provided the legal and constitutional arguments to justify the state's defiance of federal authority.23
Ultimately, while Calhoun sought to protect Southern interests, his doctrine was rejected by other states and undermined by President Andrew Jackson, who asserted federal supremacy.12