Unit 4: A Nation Divided Lesson 2: Tensions over Slavery and popular sovereignty

Tensions over slavery and states’ rights

• The tension over slavery that strengthened during the early 1800s became an extension of the long lasting states’ rights issue • Rather than state leaders arguing over whether the institution of slavery was right or wrong, they began to argue over who had the power (the states or the National Government) to decide whether or not to allow slavery in a territory/state

The States’ Rights argument

• The states’ rights dates back to creation of the Constitution- for as long as the United States existed the issue of the scope of power of the National Government was a biggie (and it still is today) • Whose right is it to tell states what they can or can’t do? Can states decide for themselves? Or should there be unity within the country?

Northern and Southern economies

• The North: – Fishing, shipbuilding industry and naval supplies – Skilled craftsmen, shopkeepers, manufacturing (textiles, tools, metals, building materials, etc.) • The South: – Large farms/plantations, cash crops – (tobacco, indigo, rice, cotton), wood products, small farms – Dependent on slavery – Benefits from cheaper American manufactured goods (more people will buy American products

The Nullification Crisis

• During the early 1800s, there was a rise of manufacturing in the North. In order to promote buyers to purchase American goods, the national government began imposing tariffs • Tariff = tax on imports • Imports = foreign goods • So, tariffs = more expensive foreign goods, which means Tariffs = less expensive domestic goods

Tariffs sound good, right?

• Tariffs were good for the north, as manufacturing was more concentrated there • But, tariffs weren’t as helpful for the southern economy, which requires trading raw materials with foreign countries • Tariffs = less Americans buying foreign goods, so • Tariffs = less foreign trade = less foreign countries buying cotton produced in the south

In 1828

• Congress passed a high tariffs to protect manufactured goods • Who are the supporters and opponents of this tariffs?

Nullification

• South Carolina (led by the current Vice President of the time, John C. Calhoun) disliked the “oppressive” new tariff • They declared to nullify the federal law, meaning they would not enforce the tariff in South Carolina • If the National Government forced them to comply, they threatened succession (separation from the Union)

Force Bill and Compromise

• The current President, Andrew Jackson, requested that Congress authorize him to use military force in order to force SC to comply with the tariff • At the same time, a compromise tariff was passed in Congress that reduced tariffs within 10 years • So, no nullification, and no secession…

The Big Picture

• How does this issue between SC and the National Government reflect the states’ rights issue? • How was this issue related to slavery?

• Read the opposing arguments of John Calhoun and William Lloyd Garrison to find out.

Exit Ticket!

• How does the nullification crisis show growing division between the northern and southern states?

• How does the nullification crisis relate to the growing issue of slavery and sectionalism in the United States in the Early 1800s?