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The Tariff of 1824
Congress raised the tariff rates by 30% and included more products within the the tariff. Henry Clay had a big part in the tariff getting passed. The main purpose of the tariff was to protect American industry. It was also used to get revenue for internal improvements. The North and the West supported the tariff, and ignored to the complaints of the South, who never likes a tariff because they are at a disadvantage with trading for manufactured projects with their agricultural economies. -
Tariff of 1828, "Tariff of Abominations"
The tariff was once again raised from its previous rates in 1824. New England opposed the tariff because the revenue was going to development in the West, which they did not benefit from. The West supported the tariff because the revenue benefited them. The Middle states are for the tariff, they benefitted from Erie Canal. The South is against the tariff because they are not receiving benefits of development, and the tariff makes the manufactured goods that they need more expensive. -
The South Carolina Exposition
The South Carolina Exposition was anonymously written by John C. Calhoun who was the Vice President. The doctrine responded to the tariff of 1828 and gives the idea of nullification, or the idea that an individual state has the right to consider a federal law void if they feel it is unconstitutional or violates their rights. It also stated that if the tariff was not repealed, then South Carolina would threaten to secede from the union. -
Tariff of 1832
The Tariff of 1832 was another protective tariff that was supposed to help fix the controversy caused by the tariff of abominations. However, it was not enough for the South, who were still against the tariffs, and it led to the nullification crisis. -
South Carolina Nullification
A South Carolina state convention adopted the Ordinance of Nullification, which was enacted into law in South Carolina. It stated that the Tariffs were unconstitutional, therefore, South Carolina could nullify the federal tariffs and not follow the law. -
Jackson's Proclamation Against Nullification
President Jackson declared that the states do not have the right to nullify federal laws. (Jackson himself was a farmer from the Carolinas and did not favor tariffs. However, as president he had to do what was best for the country and preserve the union.) -
Hayne's Counter Proclamation
South Carolina Governor, Robert Hayne, countered Jackson's proclamation and said that if a state is oppressed by a law then it should have the ability to declare it unconstitutional and make it void. South Carolina continued to nullify the tariffs. -
Force Bill
Congress passed the Force Bill to authorize Andrew Jackson to use the military to enforce protective tariffs. South Carolina had nullified the tariffs, and Jackson needed to extent his executive power to enforce the tariffs and demonstrate federal dominance. It also rejected the Nullification doctrine. -
Clay's Compromise
In order to work out a more peaceful solution, Henry Clay proposed the Compromise Tariff that would gradually reduce the levels of the tariff until 1842, which at that point the tariffs would be the level they were in 1816. -
South Carolina's Nullification Repeal
Satisfied by the Compromise Tariff, South Carolina repealed the Ordinance of Nullification, and agreed to pay the tariff with the terms of the compromise. This successfully ended the nullification crisis.
