The Nullification Crisis
Julia & Ryan
History 4B
Context
❖ From 1828 to 1834
❖ Caused mainly by an economic downturn during the
1820’s.
❖ Affected mainly South Carolina
❖ President Andrew Jackson
❖ Two Crises
➢ Tariff of 1828
➢ Compromise Tariff of 1832
Tariff of 1828
❖ Known as the Tariff of Abomination.
❖ Approved by President John Adams on May 19,1828.
❖ Was to protect Northern and Western agricultural
products from competition of foreign imports.
❖ The resulting tax on foreign goods rose the cost of living
in the South.
❖ Cut into the profits of New England’s industrialists.
Vice President Calhoun
❖ Supported the Tariff of 1816 but changed his position if he was to have a
political future in South Carolina
❖ Anonymously penned the South Carolina Exposition and Protest,
articulation the doctrine of nullification.
❖ Claimed that the federal import duties were actually a tax on the
Southern planters
❖ Throughout his vice presidency Calhoun found that he was politically
isolated from national affairs under President Jackson.
❖ December 28,1832 he resigned as vice president.
Southern
❖ Linked their opposition of the tariff to a proslavery position
❖ Argued that the North intended to interfere with the institution of
slavery by impoverishing the South.
❖ After Calhoun resigned his leitenutes from South carolina formed the
States Rights and Free Trade Party to implement nullification.
❖ Upon Nullification South Carolina found itself isolated from the nation.
❖ Nullification crystallized South Carolina’s early ideological commitment
to slavery and southern nationalism.
Northern
❖ Northern States stood to profit greatly from the tariff.
❖ “Their object in the tariff is to keep down foreign
competition, in order to obtain a monopoly of the
domestic market ….” (Calhoun).
❖ In response to the Nullification Crisis in 1828 Congress
nullified the law in South Carolina. Then president
Jackson signed the Compromised Tariff of 1832.
Jackson Nullification
If video doesn’t play: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TK8PHLLdO2k
President Jackson
❖ Tariff passed before
❖ Valued the Union
❖ Issued Nullification Proclamation
❖ Proposed Force Bill
Force Bill of 1833
❖ “Bloody Bill”
❖ Developed by Congress
❖ Gave power to enforce law
Compromise
❖ Tariff of 1832 failed to pass
❖ Tariff of 1833 (Clay’s Compromise)
➢ Nullified Force Bill
➢ Gradually decreased Tariff
❖ Not liked by Southerners
Southern Media
Cartoon drawn during the
nullification controversy
showing the manufacturing
North getting fat at Southern
expense.
Credit: Library of Congress,
Washington, D.C.
Crisis to War
❖ South Carolina willing to leave
❖ More political tension and division
Works Cited
Aboukhadijeh, Feross. "Nullification Crisis" StudyNotes.org. StudyNotes, Inc., 17 Nov. 2012. Web. 07 Sep. 2014.
"The Tariff of Abominations | US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives." The Tariff of Abominations. N.p., n.d. Web.
07 Sept. 2014.
"Calhoun Resigns Vice Presidency." This Day in History. History.com, n.d. Web. 7 Sept. 2014.
"The South Carolina Nullification Controversy." Ushistory.org. Independence Hall Association, n.d. Web. 07 Sept. 2014.
"South Carolina Sesquicentennial History & Education - Nullification Crisis of 1828 to 1834." South Carolina Sesquicentennial
History & Education - Nullification Crisis of 1828 to 1834. The South Carolina Encyclopedia, n.d. Web. 07 Sept. 2014.
Calson, Cody K. "This Week in History: John C. Calhoun and the Nullification Crisis." DeseretNews.com. N.p., 17 Dec. 2012.
Web.
07 Sept. 2014.
Hodge, Cody. "The Nullification Crisis as a Cause of the Civil War." The Nullification Crisis as a Cause of the Civil War.
Humanities 360, 23 July 2009. Web. 07 Sept. 2014.
"Jackson Issues Nullification Proclamation." American President: American President. University of Virginia, n.d. Web. 07 Sept.
2014.
“Jackson Nullification." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 07 Sept. 2014.