Why did southerners resist the increased tariffin 1829, arguing it should be nullified?

Southerners resisted the increased tariff in 1828 (often referred to as the Tariff of Abominations) and argued for its nullification for a number of interrelated reasons:

1. **Economic Impact**: The southern economy was predominantly agrarian, relying heavily on the export of crops like cotton and tobacco. The increased tariffs raised the cost of imported goods, which Southern planters and farmers depended on. They believed that the tariffs favored Northern industrial interests at their expense, making goods more expensive.

2. **Dependence on Imports**: The South imported many manufactured goods, and higher tariffs meant higher prices for these goods. This placed a heavier financial burden on Southern consumers, leading to resentment towards the tariff policies.

3. **Perceived Inequity**: Southerners felt that the tariffs disproportionately benefited the industrial North, where manufacturing was booming, while the South continued to rely on agriculture. This economic disparity fueled feelings of alienation and hostility toward policies perceived to favor one region over another.

4. **States’ Rights Philosophy**: Many Southerners espoused a strong belief in states' rights and the idea that states had the authority to nullify federal laws that they believed were unconstitutional or detrimental. This belief was rooted in the broader context of American federalism and the tensions between state and federal power.

5. **Political Tensions**: The issue heightened sectional tensions between the North and South. Southern leaders, particularly John C. Calhoun, articulated the idea of nullification, stating that states had the right to invalidate federal laws that they found objectionable. This was part of a broader Southern response to what they perceived as Northern domination in federal legislation.

6. **Long-Term Concerns**: The resistance to tariffs was also part of a larger Southern fear about the balance of power within the federal government, especially as it correlated to their social and economic systems, including slavery. Any increase in federal power was seen as a potential threat to their way of life.

Together, these factors contributed to the development of a significant resistance to the Tariff of 1828 and set the stage for the Nullification Crisis in the early 1830s, during which South Carolina declared the right to nullify the tariff within its borders, leading to a confrontation with the federal government.