Changes

|term_start=March 4, 1825

|term_start=March 4, 1825

|term_end=December 28, 1832

|term_end=December 28, 1832

|party=

|party=Democrat

|pres=John Quincy Adams

|pres=John Quincy Adams

|pres_dates=1825-1829

|pres_dates=1825-1829

}}

}}

'''John C. Calhoun''' (1782-1850) was an American statesman and political theorist who first proclaimed the idea of minority rights; he had a significant impact on conservative political thought and is still studied. He held every major post except President, serving in the [[House of Representatives|House]], [[U.S. Senate|Senate]] and [[Vice Presidency]], as well as [[Secretary of War]] and [[Secretary of State]]. A powerful intellect, Calhoun eloquently spoke out on every issue of his day, from 1812 to 1850, but is best known for his intense and original defense of [[slavery]] as a positive good and for pointing the South toward secession from the Union.  He was the chief spokesman for the white South, portraying it as a minority that was threatened by the North. His last words were "The South, the poor south." <ref> [[Fandex]], Workman Publishing. </ref>

'''John C. Calhoun''' (1782-1850) was an American statesman and political theorist who first proclaimed the idea of minority rights; he had a significant impact on conservative political thought and is still studied. He held every major post except president, serving in the [[House of Representatives|House]], [[U.S. Senate|Senate]] and [[Vice President|vice presidency]], as well as [[Secretary of War|secretary of war]] and [[Secretary of State|secretary of state]]. A powerful intellect, Calhoun eloquently spoke out on every issue of his day, from 1812 to 1850, but is best known for his intense and original defense of [[slavery]] as a positive good and for pointing the South toward secession from the Union.  He was the chief spokesman for the white South, portraying it as a minority that was threatened by the North. His last words were "The South, the poor south."<ref>[[Fandex]], Workman Publishing.</ref>

Calhoun before 1824 was a leading nationalis, calling for a strong national government. He reversed directed 180 degrees and became the chief spokesman for letting the states do what they wanted without federal interference ("states rights") along with a weak national government.  

Calhoun before 1824 was a leading nationalist, calling for a strong national government. He reversed directed 180 degrees and became the chief spokesman for letting the states do what they wanted without federal interference ("states rights") along with a weak national government.  

Calhoun was the seventh Vice President under [[John Quincy Adams]] and [[Andrew Jackson]]. He resigned to fill a [[South Carolina]] [[United States Senate|Senate]] seat. He was the first Vice President to resign from office.   

Calhoun was the seventh vice president under [[John Quincy Adams]] and [[Andrew Jackson]]. He resigned to fill a [[South Carolina]] [[United States Senate|Senate]] seat. He was the first vice president to resign from office.   

Along with two other powerful senators, [[Kentucky]] senator [[Henry Clay]] and [[Massachusetts]] senator [[Daniel Webster]], Calhoun was a part of the "Great Triumvirate".   

Along with two other powerful senators, [[Kentucky]] senator [[Henry Clay]] and [[Massachusetts]] senator [[Daniel Webster]], Calhoun was a part of the "Great Triumvirate".   

Calhoun led South Carolina's attempt to nullify the Tariff of 1828, which became known as the Nullification Crisis. Calhoun was a plantation owner who helped develop the "positive good" theory of slavery. He also developed the South's expansive interpretation of states' rights. After Calhoun, Southerners believed that they carried the rights of their states into nationally owned territories, including a right to own slaves.

Calhoun led South Carolina's attempt to nullify the Tariff of 1828, which became known as the Nullification Crisis. Calhoun was a plantation owner who helped develop the "positive good" theory of slavery. He also developed the South's expansive interpretation of states' rights. After Calhoun, Southerners believed that they carried the rights of their states into nationally owned territories, including a right to own slaves.

Calhoun began as a Jeffersonian Republican and after 1828 usually affiliated with the [[Democratic Party]], but flirted with the [[Whig Party]] and considered running for the presidency in 1824 and 1844. Starting as a leading nationalist and modernizer, after 1828 Calhoun reversed directions and became the foremost spokesman for states rights and slavery.<ref> Capers says it was caused by opportunism; when Calhoun realized his ultra nationalist programs were getting him nowhere, he decided about 1827 to build a southern base by allying himself with Jackson and attacking the nationalism of Adams and Clay. The tactic failed completely when Jackson broke with him in 1831.  Capers (1948) pp 41-48.</ref>  Devoted to the principle of liberty and fearful of corruption, Calhoun expanded the notion of [[Republicanism, U.S.|republicanism]] to include the need to protect minority rights against majority rule; his approach was the "concurrent majority."  Increasing distrustful of democracy, he minimized the role of the [[Second Party System]] in South Carolina.  The leaders of the secession movement in the decade after his death looked to Calhoun as a hero.

Calhoun began as a [[Jeffersonian Republican]]. After 1828, he usually affiliated with the [[Democratic Party]], but flirted with the [[Whig Party]] and considered running for the presidency in 1824 and 1844. Starting as a leading nationalist and modernizer, after 1828 Calhoun reversed directions and became the foremost spokesman for states rights and slavery.<ref> Capers says it was caused by opportunism; when Calhoun realized his ultra nationalist programs were getting him nowhere, he decided about 1827 to build a southern base by allying himself with Jackson and attacking the nationalism of Adams and Clay. The tactic failed completely when Jackson broke with him in 1831.  Capers (1948) pp 41-48.</ref>  Devoted to the principle of liberty and fearful of corruption, Calhoun expanded the notion of [[Republicanism, U.S.|republicanism]] to include the need to protect minority rights against majority rule; his approach was the "concurrent majority."  Increasing distrustful of democracy, he minimized the role of the [[Second Party System]] in South Carolina.  The leaders of the secession movement in the decade after his death looked to Calhoun as a hero.

==Personal life==

==Personal life==

Calhoun was born in Abbeville, South Carolina, 1782 into a Scotch-Irish family that had emigrated from Ireland to Pennsylvania in 1733, then moved down the Appalachian Mountain valley into the South Carolina back country in the 1760s. His father became rich, owning lands and 20 to 40 slaves in a region where slaves were not yet common. Life was still raw and rough on the frontier, and violence was very much part of people's memories: his father's mother had been killed by Cherokee Indians in 1760, and his mother's brother, John Caldwell, after whom he was named, had been murdered by Loyalists during the [[American Revolution]]. His father, who had survived the Indian massacre of 1760, had a stubborn independence and, as Calhoun recalled, "a certain degree of contempt for the forms of civilized life." He had a passion for liberty and a deep dislike of far-removed government; he opposed ratification of the federal Constitution on the grounds that "we ought never to give others the power to tax us."  His father died in 1795 when John was only 13. In a very unusual move for the era, the young man went to New England to attend Yale College, graduating in 1804, then studied law at one of the nation's first law schools, that run by Tapping Reeve at Litchfield, Connecticut. After further training in Charleston, South Carolina, he was admitted to the bar in 1807 and began practice near his family home. In 1811 he married Floride Bonneau Colhoun, a wealthy second cousin who provided entrée to high society in Charleston. They had nine children and lived at "Fort Hill", a cotton plantation he built,and operated by a white overseer and dozens of slaves.  He had a substantial but routine law practice and was soon bored. He was elected as a [[Democratic-Republican Party|Jeffersonian Republican]] to the state legislature in 1808 and to Congress in 1810.

Calhoun was born in Abbeville, South Carolina, 1782 into a Scotch-Irish family that had emigrated from Ireland to Pennsylvania in 1733, then moved down the Appalachian Mountain valley into the South Carolina back country in the 1760s. His father became rich, owning lands and 20 to 40 slaves in a region where slaves were not yet common. Life was still raw and rough on the frontier, and violence was very much part of people's memories: his father's mother had been killed by Cherokee Indians in 1760, and his mother's brother, John Caldwell, after whom he was named, had been murdered by Loyalists during the [[American Revolution]]. His father, who had survived the Indian massacre of 1760, had a stubborn independence and, as Calhoun recalled, "a certain degree of contempt for the forms of civilized life." He had a passion for liberty and a deep dislike of far-removed government; he opposed ratification of the federal Constitution on the grounds that "we ought never to give others the power to tax us."  His father died in 1795 when John was only 13. In a very unusual move for the era, the young man went to New England to attend Yale College, graduating in 1804, then studied law at one of the nation's first law schools, that run by Tapping Reeve at Litchfield, Connecticut. After further training in Charleston, South Carolina, he was admitted to the bar in 1807 and began practice near his family home. In 1811 he married Floride Bonneau Colhoun, a wealthy second cousin who provided entrée to high society in Charleston. They had nine children and lived at "Fort Hill", a cotton plantation he built,and operated by a white overseer and dozens of slaves.  He had a substantial but routine law practice and was soon bored. He was elected as a Republican to the state legislature in 1808 and to Congress in 1810.

Like so many ambitious young politicians who came of age after the Constitution took effect in 1789 (including Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, and John Quincy Adams), Calhoun was profoundly shaped by the Founding Fathers' faith in the potential of republican government.  

Like so many ambitious young politicians who came of age after the Constitution took effect in 1789 (including Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, and John Quincy Adams), Calhoun was profoundly shaped by the Founding Fathers' faith in the potential of republican government.  

==Nullification==

==Nullification==

===Nullification Crisis: 1833===

===Nullification Crisis: 1833===

In 1832, the South Carolina legislature passed a resolution that declared the federal tariff of 1828 void. President [[Andrew Jackson]] was incensed and the Congress passed the Force Bill, threatening military intervention. The issue, as Jackson saw it, was not the tariff but obedience to federal law. He threatened to call out the troops and to hang Calhoun "higher than Haman," if he got hold of him. Calhoun resigned the vice-presidency, accepted election as senator from South Carolina, and returned to Washington.  No one was hanged as [[Henry Clay]] brokered a compromise between Jackson and Calhoun.  No southern state stood by South Carolina.

In 1832, the South Carolina legislature passed a resolution that declared the federal tariff of 1828 void. President [[Andrew Jackson]] was incensed and the Congress passed the Force Bill, threatening military intervention. The issue, as Jackson saw it, was not the tariff but obedience to federal law. He threatened to call out the troops and to hang Calhoun "higher than Haman," if he got hold of him. Calhoun resigned the vice-presidency, accepted election as senator from South Carolina, and returned to Washington.  No one was hanged as [[Henry Clay]] brokered a compromise between Jackson and Calhoun.  No southern state stood by South Carolina.