Andrew Jackson

1
Andrew Jackson

• Nullification Crisis

2
Tariff Issues

• John C. Calhoun - Jacksons Vice President
• Tariff of Abominations 1828 - source of all
  problems
• South Carolina - Calhouns home state
• Tariff raised prices on imported manufactured
  goods that the south could not produce
• Calhouns political future on the line

3
Theory of Nullification

• South Carolinians prepared to secede
• Calhoun believed that his theory was a reasonable
  alternative to secession
• The federal government was a creation of the
  states, the states themselves were to make the
  final decision on the constitutionality of
  federal laws
• If the states thought that a law was
  unconstitutional it could hold a convention to
  declare the law null and void

4
Nullification cont

• The law would remain void until 3/4 of the states
  ratified it as an amendment
• The nullifying state would then decide to submit
  to the law or secede
• Calhoun really hoped that the theory would
  pressure the feds to reduce the tariff

5
Complications

• Martin Van Buren
• Eaton soap opera
• Webster -Hayne debate - US Senate - western lands
  - South and West victims of Northeast tyranny -
  becomes an issue of states rights - support for
  nullification

6
The Nullification Crisis 1832

• No relief from the Tariff of Abominations
• New South Carolina state legislature voted to
  nullify the tariff bills of 1828 1832
• Jackson - nullification was treason and all
  involved were traitors - wanted to hang Calhoun
• Jackson strengthen federal forts and ordered
  ships
• force bill to authorize Jackson to use military
  force

7
Continued

• No state came to the aid of South Carolina
• Henry Clay devised a compromise to lower the
  tariff gradually
• Jackson signed the bill
• South Carolina had another convention and
  repealed the nullification of tariffs but the
  nullified the force bill