Andrew Jackson and the Nullification Crisis

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Andrew Jackson had led the nation from 1829 to 1837. During his presidency, there were two issues he had faced, one of them being the Nullification Crisis. The Nullification Crisis was a major issue led by John C. Calhoun, who at the time was Andrew Jackson’s vice president. Calhoun and the supporters of the nullification believed in state’s rights, and that the states could reject federal laws if they believed it to be unconstitutional. It all started when Congress passed the Tariff of Abomination in 1828. Many southerners were opposed to it because previous tariffs had severely damaged their economy, and it was only beginning to recover in 1828. As a result of all this, South Carolina wanted to leave the Union. Andrew Jackson, however, thought the nullification was unconstitutional. The three reasons were the following: A strong central government, states can’t secede from the Union, and the government can issue a tax or tariff. Andrew Jackson had strongly believed in Alexander Hamilton’s views of a strong central government. Hamilton believed that a strong central government would balance power between the “mass of the people” and the richer citizens. He thought it would protect everyone’s liberties while keeping people from having too much power. There was a big debate in 1830 called the Hayne-Webster Debate. Robert Y. Hayne, who was a senator from South Carolina, was a believer in state rights. Hayne said that the nullification gave the states a way to lawfully protest the federal legislation. Daniel Webster from Massachusetts argued against that, saying the United States was one nation, not a pact among independent states. He said he believed the welfare of the nation should overrule that of individual states. Andrew Jacks... ... middle of paper ... ...ade a compromise that would lower the tariff over a couple of years. Congress and South Carolina approved the compromise; however neither side ever did change its beliefs about state rights. Andrew Jackson had amazing leadership. He had made a potential disaster with a state seceding from the nation, to him just making a point. He had said at the end of his speech about the crisis, “I rely with equal confidence on your undivided support in my determination to execute the laws – to preserve the Union by all constitutional means – to arrest, if possible, by moderate but firm measures, the necessity of recourse to force.” This quote shows if things were going to continue the way they were, some serious measures would have to be taken. Instead, he showed them his views on it and tried to squash the issue before it escalade. That shows the what a true leader really is.

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