Question

President Jackson’s Proclamation Regarding Nullification, 1832
I consider, then, the power to annul a law of the United States, assumed by one State, incompatible with the existence of the Union, contradicted expressly by the letter of the Constitution, unauthorized by its spirit, inconsistent with every principle on which It was founded, and destructive of the great object for which it was formed.
Fellow-citizens of my native State! let me not only admonish you, as the first magistrate of our common country, not to incur the penalty of its laws, but use the influence that a father would over his children whom he saw rushing to a certain ruin. In that paternal language, with that paternal feeling, let me tell you, my countrymen, that you are deluded by men who are either deceived themselves or wish to deceive you. Mark under what pretenses you have been led on to the brink of insurrection and treason on which you stand!

Compare Jackson’s stance on nullification to his opinions on national governmental authority.


How does Jackson’s statement illustrate how debates over the meaning and interpretation of the Constitution have shaped U.S. politics since 1787?

use simple words and 1-2 sentences

Answer 1

Jackson rejected nullification, arguing a single state cannot cancel federal laws and that the national government must have strong power to keep the Union together. His words show that from 1787 onward fights over how to read the Constitution—whether states or the federal government have the final say—have driven major political clashes.