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During this time, Congress was dominated by northern manufacturers and they passed a tariff that has as high as 45% on some import Southerners, especially South Carolina or outrage since they rely on cheap British import to survive and export cotton abroad. Southerners, especially South Carolina saw it as unconstitutional and economically hurtful.
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In 1828, Vice President John C. Calhoun secretly wrote the South Carolina Exposition and Protest in response to the Tariff of Abominations. He argued the tariff was unconstitutional because it unfairly favored Northern industries while harming the South. Calhoun claimed the Constitution was a compact among states, giving them the right to nullify federal laws. If the government abused power, states could resist—even secede—to protect their rights.
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They debated states’ rights vs. federal power. Senator Robert Y. Hayne (SC) defended nullification, saying the Union was a voluntary compact and states could reject unconstitutional federal laws. Daniel Webster (MA) argued the Constitution was created by the people, not states, and federal authority must prevail, declaring, “Liberty and Union, now and forever, one and inseparable!” The debate revealed deep North-South tensions and inspired South Carolina’s nullification.
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Congress passed a new tariff lowering some duties from 45% to 35% to appease the South. SC and other Southern planters still felt burdened, viewing it as insufficient protection against Northern favoritism. The tariff fueled growing support for nullification and resistance to federal power.
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South Carolina’s state convention declared the tariffs of 1828 and 1832 null and void within the state. The ordinance threatened to secede if the federal government tried to enforce the tariffs and authorized a state militia, directly challenging federal authority and setting the stage for a major confrontation with President Jackso
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President Jackson condemned nullification as treason, warning it could destroy the Union. He threatened military action and sent Navy ships to Charleston. His proclamation defended federal authority and warned SC that resistance to federal law would not be tolerated.
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Congress passed the Force Bill, giving Jackson authority to use the Army and Navy to enforce federal tariff laws in SC. It asserted the federal government’s supremacy and warned states they could not defy the Constitution without consequences, reinforcing Jackson’s defense of the Union.
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Henry Clay proposed a compromise that gradually lowered tariffs to the lower 1816 levels by 1842. South Carolina ended its official nullification of the tariffs but symbolically said the Force Bill didn’t apply to them. This ended the crisis without war, but it showed the North-South divide was still strong and hinted at future conflicts over states’ rights.