"I consider, then, the power to annul a law of the United States, assumed by one State, incompatible with the existence of the Union, contradicted expressly by the letter of the Constitution, unauthorized by its spirit, inconsistent with every principle on which it was founded, and destructive of the great object for which it was formed."
— President Andrew Jackson, Proclamation to the People of South Carolina, 1832
Which of the following historical developments during the Jacksonian era best represents the constitutional conflict described in the excerpt?
- The debate over South Carolina's attempt to declare federal tariffs null and void within its borders.Answer
- BThe Marshall Court's effort to limit federal regulatory authority in favor of state sovereignty.
- CThe economic integration of southern agricultural regions with northern industrial factories.
- DThe belief that Marshall Court decisions like McCulloch v. Maryland had weakened federal power, prompting southern resistance.
Answer
The debate over South Carolina's attempt to declare federal tariffs null and void within its borders.
The correct answer is correct because President Jackson's proclamation directly addressed the Nullification Crisis, which was triggered by South Carolina's attempt to void federal tariffs (specifically the Tariffs of 1828 and 1832) within its borders. This represented a major constitutional conflict over state versus federal sovereignty.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
The Nullification Crisis and the debate over federal supremacy versus states' rights during the Jackson presidency.