Why did Calhoun support nullification?Full sentences

Answer 1

John C. Calhoun supported nullification as a means to protect states' rights and safeguard the interests of southern states, particularly in opposition to federal tariffs that he believed unfairly benefited the North at the expense of the South. He argued that because the states had created the federal government, they retained the authority to determine the constitutionality of federal laws. Calhoun feared that an increasingly powerful federal government could infringe upon the rights of states and their sovereignty. By advocating for nullification, he sought to empower states to reject federal laws they deemed unconstitutional, thus reinforcing their autonomy and protecting their economic interests.