The Nullification Crisis of 1832 | Henry Clay and the Struggle for the Union

To respond to Southern concerns, Congress reduced the tariffs slightly with the Tariff of 1832. A crisis erupted when a special convention in South Carolina passed an ordinance of nullification, declaring that the state had a right to negate the federal tariff laws, meaning it could ignore them. The ordinance also said that if the government tried to force collection of the tariff, South Carolina would secede from the Union. President Andrew Jackson responded with a proclamation saying that the nullification ordinance was treason against the United States.

As students watch the video, they will consider what nullification means, the definition of treason, and the power of the federal government over trade. Students will also explore how slavery created both a moral and economic divide in the country.