South Carolina Protest

The South Carolina Exposition & Protest was written by John C. Calhoun and fought against the Tariff of 1828. The tariff of 1828 protected industry in the North by putting a tax on imports so that American goods would be cheaper. However this made states in the South angry, as they could be purchasing something for a much lower price that came from outside of America. Calhoun fought that the tariff was unconstitutional because it favored the Northern commerce over Southern agriculture. His exposition states that if the tariff was not removed South Carolina would succeed from the union. It also stated that the states had the power to nullify federal laws. Although this thought went against the supremacy clause found in the Constitution that gave the supreme power to the federal government. The protest had intentions to help make good government and laws by improving the conditions the tariff of 1828 had on people purchasing imported goods, but it's actions of states nullifying a federal law went against the supremacy clause therefore not making it a good constitutional reason for the tariff to be appealed.

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