-
South Carolina Exposition and Protest
John C. Calhoun wrote the South Carolina Expedition and Protest in 1828, anonymously, where he argued that the Tariff of 1828, also known as the "Tariff of Abominations," was unconstitutional and that the states had the right to nullify the law and that if the tariff was not lifted then South Carolina would secede from the Union. -
Tariff of Abominations
The Tariff of 1828, also known as the "Tariff of Abominations," was a protective tariff that was passed on May 19, 1828 by Congress. The purpose of this tariff was to provide protection for American manufacturing industries who were being put out of business because of competition with foreign imports. However, the South did not support this tariff because they relied on the imports, which is why the name was changed to the "Tariff of Abomination" and the South Carolina Exposition took place. -
Hayne's Counter Proclamation
Governor Hayne claimed that a state could declare a national law as unconstitutional and void, if oppressed. Jackson rounded up troops to attack South Carolina but Hayne's continued to ignore the tariffs and laws. This almost put South Carolina in a predicament to go into war with the United States. -
Tariff of 1832
The Tariff of 1832 was a protective tariff in the United States. It was passed as a reduced tariff to the conflict created by the tariff of 1828, but it still didn't go far enough to end the grievances of the South. It reduced some duties but the high taxes on imported goods remained. -
South Carolina Ordinance of Nullification
After being faced with the protective Tariff of 1828, Calhoun presented and declared the theory that federal tariffs could be declared void and null and they could refuse to enforce them and then South Carolina passed the Ordinance of Nullification which forbidded the collection of tariff duties in the state. It declared that tariffs imposed by the United States did not exist while in South Carolina. -
Proclamation to the People of South Carolina
On December 10, 1832, President Andrew Jackson issued Nullification Proclamation to the people of South Carolina regarding the states right to nullify a federal law. He wanted to declare that the duty of the Constitution is to carry out laws of the United States to the full extent of power and to warn citizens of South Carolina of the danger that is ahead. Jackson argued that the nullification of federal laws was unconstitutional and treasonous; The nation depends on the unity of all states. -
Force Bill
The Force Bill allowed President Jackson to use the army and navy to collect duties on the Tariffs of 1828 and 1832. South Carolina nullified these tariffs. They voided the tariffs and the Force Bill. -
Clay's Compromise (Compromise Tariff of 1833)
Clay's Compromise was a direct response to the Force Bill. This compromise consisted of a new tariff that would gradually reduce the other tariffs over time. The states that demanded nullification backed down and the United States avoided conflict that would have resulted on a large scale. -
South Carolina Repeal of Nullification
South Carolina agreed to Clay's Compromise and repealed some of their nullifications since the new tariff was supposed to decrease tariff rates. Also, this showed the differences between the North and the South.