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Tariff of Abomination (Tariff of 1828)
The Tariff of 1828, often referred to as the Tariff of Abomination, was a high protective tariff that placed high duties, or fees, on various goods, mainly affecting industry and farming. The South was disproportionately affected, as it raised the price of manufactured goods that they purchased and wound up reducing British demand for their cotton. Some imported goods had a 38% tax on them, while other imported raw materials had a 45% tax laid upon them. And it wasn't even supposed to pass. -
South Carolina Exposition and Protest (Calhoun's Exposition)
In response to the Tariff of 1828, Vice President John C. Calhoun, a native of South Carolina, penned the South Carolina Exposition and Protest, albeit anonymously. The document argued that states had the right to nullify any federal laws that they deemed unconstitutional, citing the principle of states' rights in the Tenth Amendment. Calhoun remained anonymous for 4 years until it was revealed and his relationship with Andrew Jackson completely fractured. -
Tariff of 1832
The Northern states attempted to mollify the Southern states, mainly South Carolina, through passing the Tariff of 1832. This reduced some of the tariffs from the initial Tariff of Abominations, but it still did not do what it was intended to do, and tensions flared further in the nation, leading to fears of revolution or secession by the Southern states. This would end up leading to what we now call the Nullification Crisis. -
Nullification Ordinance/Ordinance of Nullification
In response to the deeply unpopular Ordinance of 1832, the South Carolina state legislature passed a nullification ordinance, rendering the tariffs of 1828 and 1832 to be null and void within the state borders. In order to defend this act, the state legislature voted to make the completely calm, composed, and nonaggressive move of raising a military force to fight if need be. This sparked fears of a South Carolinian secession from the United States. -
Jackson's Proclamation to the People of South Carolina
In response to this brazen act of defiance by the state of South Carolina, Andrew Jackson, who was not best pleased at the idea of nullification considering that he believed in the supremacy of the federal government, issued a proclamation 16 days after the initial ordinance passed. In this proclamation, he argued that the state did not trump the nation, and went even as far as to say secession would have been an act of treason punishable by hanging. Furthermore, he threatened military action. -
Tariff of 1833, or the Compromise Tariff
The Compromise Tariff was the last-ditch effort presented by Senators Henry Clay and John Calhoun (KY and SC respectively) in order to prevent the outbreak of an armed conflict between South Carolina and the federal government. Over time, the import taxes would slowly be cut to 1816 level, or 20%. This, along with the Force Bill (which was rescinded soon after being passed), persuaded South Carolina to back down and rescind it's ordinance of nullification. -
The Force Bill
To show that his proclamation had force to it, and to ensure enforcement of the federal laws, President Jackson pushed Congress into passing the Force Act, which authorized him to use federal military forces against any state that attempted to nullify federal laws. It also contained a provision stating it was only effective until the end of the next session of Congress. This did not make things better, however, leading to the need for the Great Compromiser yet again; the unique Henry Clay.