Section #1 - Causal Factors
Nullification
The South’s tariff nullification tactics set the stage for secession from its contract with the Union.
| Year | Event | Description | Read |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1776 | Declaration of Independence. | Asserts the inalienable rights of men and their prerogative to break free from an oppressive form of government in favor of one that serves their interests. | Chapter 6 |
| 1787 | Madison crafts the Bill of Rights. | Includes the 10th Amendment, reserving powers not delegated to the federal government to the States or the people, a cornerstone for nullification arguments. | Chapter 13 |
| 1798 | Kentucky Resolutions. | Written by Thomas Jefferson, arguing that the Alien & Sedition Act violates the 10th Amendment and limiting Federal authority. | Chapter 21 |
| 1814 | Hartford Convention. | New England states assemble to discuss protest strategies and Constitutional Amendments strengthening state control over commerce and militias. | Chapter 34 |
| 1828 | Tariff of Abominations. | Vice-President Calhoun threatens secession in response to high tariffs that the Slave States regarded as an assault on cotton profits. | Chapter 57 |
| 1833 | The Nullification Crisis. | South Carolina stops collecting tariffs, leading to the Force Bill and a military standoff that foreshadowed future secession. | Chapter 66 |
| 1860 | South Carolina secedes. | Assembly lists grievances against the federal government and leaves the Union by a 159-0 vote. | Chapter 266 |
| 1861 | Confederate States of America formed. | Seven states sanction the CSA and a new Constitution protecting the right of property in negro slaves. | Chapter 273 |
| 1861 | Lincoln’s First Inaugural. | Lincoln declares the Union perpetual and any act against it to be “insurrection.” | Chapter 280 |