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Tariff of Abominations
The Tariff of Abominations was the name given to the Tariff of 1828 by Southern states. This inflated the costs of imported goods by 50 percent, deterring Americans from buying from foreign sources. It also gave birth to the "spending clause" of the Constitution when it came to Congress creating taxes. -
South Carolina's Exposition and Protest
South Carolina protested the Tariff of Abominations, declaring it illegal and unconstitutional. John C. Calhoun secretly drafted the list of grievances that the tariff created for the Southern states in order to get Congress to send relief. -
Questioning of Nullification
During a Jefferson Day dinner, Jackson stated that the Union had to be protected. Calhoun responded that liberty and Union should be protected by giving the rights and problems of the Union to the states equally. This strained tensions between the both of them as it created questioning for whether or not the states had rights of nullification. -
Tariff of 1832
The Tariff of 1832 lowered the levies imposed by the Tariff of Abominations in 1828. It went from 50% to 35%, the previous tax imposed by the Tariff of 1824. While it did not fully resolve the issues left by the Tariff of Abominations, it eased tensions by a small amount. -
Ordinance of Nullification
South Carolina legislature passed the Ordinance of Nullification, stating that the tariffs of 1828 and 1832 were null and void. They also threatened to secede from the Union if the government attempted to impose the tariffs. This was meant to impose state power to what was deemed unconstitutional and unfair. -
Jackson's Proclamation to South Carolina
Jackson sends an official proclamation to South Carolina about the dangers of secession and the ability to declare annulment. He states that no state has the power to deem laws null as they see fit, and the Ordinance violates the agreement made between states and the government. -
Compromise Tariff of 1833
Congress passed Clay and Jackson's tariff reduction acts in order to reduce the chances of a civil war breaking out from the Ordinance and Proclamation. As a result, South Carolina did not enforce the Ordinance which did seem as a victory for the parties, but it ultimately reinforced Jackson's executive authority as President of the United States.