The Great Three Clay, Calhoun, & Webster

Henry Clay Born in Hanover County, VA moved to Lexington, KY 1806 – U.S. Senate 1810 – U.S. Senate 1811 – Speaker of the House negotiated Treaty of Ghent negotiated Treaty of Ghent 1815 – 1825 Speaker of the House American System American System Missouri Compromise Missouri Compromise Sec. of State for J.Q. Adams 1831 – U.S. Senate created the compromise tariff to end the Nullification Crisis created the compromise tariff to end the Nullification Crisis 1849 – U.S. Senate Compromise of 1850 Compromise of , 1832, 1844 – Ran for President “I’d rather be right than president” - Henry Clay “The Great Compromiser”

John C. Calhoun Born in in Abbeville, S.C – House of Representatives – Member of War Hawks – Member of War Hawks who called for war with Britain in Sec. of War for James Monroe – sought censure of Andrew Jackson for overstepping his authority by invading Spanish Florida in – Vice-President for J.Q. Adams 1829 – Vice-President for Jackson – issued Doctrine of Nullification – issued Doctrine of Nullification, resigns in Dec – U.S. Senate 1844 – Secretary of State for Tyler – Completed the annexation of Texas 1845 – U.S. Senate – Compromise of 1850 argued to support slavery and the rights of slave holders; died before the final votes on the parts of the Compromise make it law. “In looking back, I see nothing to regret and little to correct.” - John C. Calhoun “Champion of States’ Rights”

Daniel Webster Born in Salisbury, New Hampshire 1813 – House of Representatives Lawyer in Boston, MA – Argued 171 cases before the Supreme Court McCulloch vs. Maryland – 1819 – McCulloch vs. Maryland defended the Bank of the U.S. and won Gibbons vs. Ogden – 1824 – Gibbons vs. Ogden defended Gibbons and supported the idea that transportation is part of commerce 1823 – House of Representatives 1827 – 1841 – U.S. Senate – spoke against nullification in the Webster- Hayne Debates 1836 – Ran for President 1841 – 1843 – Sec. of State for Tyler – Webster-Ashburton Treaty, 1842, settled the boundary between Maine and Canada 1845 – U.S. Senate – supported the Compromise of 1850 – supported the Compromise of 1850 against the wishes of his supporters 1850 – 1852 – Sec. of State for Fillmore “Defender of the Union” “Liberty and Union, now and forever, one and inseparable” – Daniel Webster

llll Between 1812 and 1850 had more impact on American gov’t than any three politicians in American history. None were ever elected president They left a lasting legacy on American politics They left a lasting legacy on American politics – More than the presidents of their day could match. The Great Three Henry ClayJohn C Calhoun Daniel Webster