Nullification Crisis

In response to South Carolina’s ordinance nullifying federal tariff laws, President Andrew Jackson issued this proclamation defending the supremacy of the U.S. Constitution and federal law. He declared nullification unconstitutional and warned that disunion was tantamount to treason. Jackson…

<p><span class="deck"><span class="typestyle">Was the old South solidly for slavery and secession? An eminent historian disputes a long-cherished view of that region’s history</span> </span></p>

<p><span class="deck">Today’s states’-rights debate is in fact as old as the republic, and not yet as contentious as it got in the 1830s.</span></p>

<p>When the Palmetto State threatened to nullify federal statutes at will, President Jackson met it with tough rhetoric and a threat of force -- and postponed the Civil War for three decades.</p>

<p>Jackson had deep flaws, but he left a lasting legacy, strengthening the executive office and striving to represent as many Americans as possible.</p>