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John C. Calhoun, vice president of the United States and native of South Carolina, anonymously wrote the document "South Carolina Exposition and Protest," arguing that states had the right to nullify federal laws that they considered unconstitutional. -
The United States Congress passed the Tariff of 1828, known to its critics as the "Tariff of Abominations." This tariff imposed high tariffs on imports, which harmed southern states that depended on imported goods and benefited industrial northern states. -
In January 1830, a famous debate took place in the Senate between Daniel Webster of Massachusetts and Robert Y. Hayne of South Carolina. Webster defended the supremacy of the federal government, while Hayne supported states' rights and the doctrine of nullification. -
Congress passed a new tariff in 1832 that reduced some of the tariffs imposed by the Tariff of 1828, but not enough to satisfy the southern states, especially South Carolina. -
In December 1832, President Andrew Jackson issued a proclamation denouncing the nullification and asserting the supremacy of the federal government. Jackson warned that he would use military force if necessary to enforce federal laws. -
In November 1832, a special convention in South Carolina adopted the Ordinance of Nullification, declaring the tariffs of 1828 and 1832 null and void within the state. South Carolina also threatened to secede from the Union if the federal government attempted to enforce the tariffs. -
In March 1833, Congress passed the Force Act, authorizing President Jackson to use the army and navy to enforce tariff laws in South Carolina. -
Also in March 1833, Henry Clay proposed a compromise that resulted in the passage of the Tariff of 1833. This new tariff would gradually reduce tariffs over a ten-year period. South Carolina accepted this compromise and repealed its Nullification Ordinance, ending the crisis.