The nullification crisis The Presidency of Andrew Jackson

What led to the nullification crisis? Not long after Jackson took office, S.C. began struggling economically S.C. purchased many of its goods from Europe because it was cheaper Congress placed a tariff (tax on imports) in 1828 in an effort to get people to buy more “American” S.C. called it the “Tariff of Abominations” and threatened to leave the Union

What is Nullification?  Nullification is a legal theory that a state has the right to nullify, or invalidate, any federal law it deems unconstitutional. In Calhoun's words, it is "... the right of a State to interpose, in the last resort, in order to arrest an unconstitutional act of the General Government, within its limits.“  Nullification can be traced back to arguments by Jefferson and Madison in writing the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions of 1798 against the Alien and Sedition Acts . Madison expressed the hope that the states would declare the acts unconstitutional, while Jefferson explicitly endorsed nullification.[ Calhoun openly argued for a state's right to secede from the Union as a last resort to protect its liberty and sovereignty. This State’s Right argument was strongly held in Southern States and used to defend the continuation of slavery right up to the Civil War (1860-65)

The nullification crisis John C. Calhoun (Jackson’s VP who was from S.C.) suggested to S.C. to not secede (leave) the Union, but nullify (void) the tariff He said the states have the right to nullify a federal law Another tariff passed in 1832 after heated debates by Congress and S.C. worked towards nullification Calhoun resigns as Jackson’s VP in protest and returns to S. Carolina Jackson saw S.C.’s actions as treason and sent warships to Charleston S.C. eventually accepted a reduced tariff once military action was threatened