Tariffs, Nullification Crisis, and
States Rights Theory/Debate
Ch 11 Sec 1
Essay Prompt:
Analyze how tariffs led to the nullification
crisis and the development of the states’
rights theory/debate. How was this
disagreement settled? (Hint: don’t forget
force bill)
1828 Congress passed
very high tariff
Tariff = tax on imported goods
North
= manufacturing economy (factories)
= supported tariff because it made US
manufactured goods cheaper than European
goods.
= Result, tariffs encouraged Americans to buy
American goods.
South
= agricultural economy
= opposed tariff because the S. traded cotton
with Europe in exchange for cheaper
European manufactured goods.
= tariffs made European goods more
expensive.
Tariff of Abomination
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1828 Congress passed a very high tariff on
manufactured goods from Europe
Southerners hated that tariff and called it the
“Tariff of Abomination”
John C. Calhoun
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Southerner who argued that a state had the
right to nullify (cancel) a federal law that is
considered unconstitutional.
This way of thinking is called “States’ Rights
Theory”
(Fed govt/Northerners disagree. Therefore it
is often referred to as states’ rights debate.)
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Some southerners were so mad about the
tariffs that they called for southern states to
secede (break away) from the U.S. and form
their own government.
S. Carolina (Calhoun’s home state) passed
the Nullification Act.
Nullification Act = stated that S. Carolina
would not pay illegal tariff.
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Henry Clay (Speaker of the House) passed
the Compromise Bill.
Compromise Bill = lowered tariff (tax)
President Andrew Jackson supported
compromise and also convinced Congress to
pass force bill.
Force bill = allowed Pres to use military to
enforce acts of Congress.
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S. Carolina accepted compromise
Result of nullification crisis = federal govt
would NOT allow a state to secede from the
U.S. without a fight.