John C. Calhoun played a vital role in the development of American history. Calhoun was born into a successful farmer’s family in South Carolina, on March 18, 1782, who admitted to South Carolina state bar after he graduated at Yale University and a law school. Throughout his remarkable political career, he was devoted to protect Southern interests. Also, Calhoun was a statesman, political philosopher, and spokesman, he served in terms of the U.S. House Representative, U.S. Senate and the Vice President of the U.S., secretary of war and state as well. By the time congress passed the high protective of tariff, so-called the Tariff of Abominations, it enraged southern states. Since the Southerners thought it only beneficial industrialized northern states, but shrunk the English demand for raw cotton from southern states and increased the price of goods to American people. Although Calhoun supported the tariff at first, he realized that it was being unfair to the South, his home state South Carolina as well. Therefore, his essay “South Carolina Exposition and Protest” was published. Calhoun believed in states’ rights, he claimed in his essay that states have right to veto federal law if it’s disadvantage to them and his idea of nullification. Also, he became the leader of South Carolina in opposing the tariff and Southerners believed that he is an intellectual political leader.
