US Sectional Tensions in the 19th Century

Sectional Differences in the U.S.

• The young U.S. faced sectional tensions due to differing economies in the North, South, and West.
• The Northern states had a heavy industry and capital base, while the South's economy was primarily based on agriculture, slave labor, sharecroppers, and a small but powerful landed gentry.
• The Western states, like the South, had economies built on agriculture and raw materials, and needed to expand to grow economically.

Tariffs and Land Disputes

• The Western states sought an alliance with the South to reduce the cost of government land and lower protective tariffs.
• Northern interests opposed this, seeing protective tariffs as necessary to raise revenue and protect America's young industrial base.
• This disagreement over tariffs and land was an early rift between the North, South, and West.

The Nullification Crisis

• The nullification crisis, sparked by John C. Calhoun, was an early rift between the interests of the North, South, and West.
• Calhoun believed that states had the right to declare null and void any federal mandate they did not wish to follow.
• This idea would allow states to interpret the Constitution as they saw fit, like any social contract.

Jackson vs. Calhoun on States' Rights

• President Jackson and Calhoun disagreed on states' rights, with Jackson believing that if any state could nullify federal law, there would be no union.
• Jackson threatened to hang anyone who defied federal law, stating that if one drop of blood was shed, he would take action.
• Calhoun believed that if a state disagreed with a federal law, it had the right to refuse to obey it or withdraw from the social contract altogether.

The South Carolina Nullification Ordinance

• In November 1832, South Carolina passed an ordinance of nullification, refusing to obey federal tariffs and giving the state legislature the power to raise an army.
• Jackson acted immediately, threatening to send troops if necessary and punish any act of treason.

The Crisis Resolution

• Calhoun resigned as Vice President and returned to the Senate, seeking to control the crisis.
• A compromise tariff bill was passed, promising to lower tariffs over a period of ten years.
• Southern radicals knew Jackson was serious about military actions, and cooler heads prevailed, at least temporarily.