Ch. 12.3 Conflicts Over States’ Rights

Who was John C. Calhoun?

One American’s Story

What caused Calhoun to change his beliefs?

What will you learn about in this section?

• Elected into Congress at the age of 28• from South Carolina

• His concerns for the economic and political well-being of his home state.

• Two strong-willed men, Calhoun and Jackson, that come into conflict over the issue of states’ rights

1. Rising Sectional DifferencesWhy did Northerners and Westerners disagree over the saleof public land?

What were the differences among the sections on internal improvements and tariffs?

• The North doesn’t want the cheap land in the West to take their workers

• Westerners are selling cheap land to attract settlers and gain more political power

• The Northeast and West wanted the federal government to spend money on internal improvements.• They also supported tariffs

• The South is against the federal government spending money on internal improvements.• The South is against tariffs

2. Tariff of AbominationsWhy did the Tariff of 1828 anger Southerners?

• They felt the economic interests of the Northeast were determining national policy.

What was the Tariff of Abominations?

• The tariff made by Congress that upset the South

A. Crisis over Nullification

• Created by Calhoun, it said any state can reject a federal law it considers unconstitutional

What was the doctrine of nullification?

How did Calhoun apply that doctrine to the “Tariff of Abominations”?

• Calhoun says states can also reject tariffs

3. The States’ Rights DebateWhy did the theory of nullification develop into a national debate?

• People that support a strong federal and some supported states’ rights

What was the Webster-Hayne debate?

• One of the most famous debates in the U.S. Senate over the doctrine of nullification

Who was Daniel Webster?

• Senator from Massachusetts and a powerful speaker debating the doctrine of nullification with Robert Hayne.What was the importance of the Webster-Hayne debate in Congress?

• Established the arguments for a stronger federal government and state government.

How did the nullification issue make Jackson and Calhoun political enemies?• Jackson supports a stronger federal government• Calhoun supports stronger state governments

4. South Carolina Threatens to SecedeHow did Southerners protest the tariffs?

• South Carolina nullified the Tariff Act of 1828 and 1832• South Carolina also threatened to secede from the Union

What was secession?

• Withdrawal of a state from the Union

What was Jackson’s response to South Carolina’s threat to secede?

• Jackson would use force to make sure federal laws were obeyed

How was the tariff controversy settled?

• Henry Clay steps forward and created a compromise Tariff in 1833.