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Primary sourceDocument1832

Proclamation Respecting the Nullifying Laws of South Carolina

Andrew Jackson · 1832

Jackson's 1832 proclamation responding to South Carolina's attempt to nullify federal tariff laws.

Jackson's own proclamation asserting federal authority against South Carolina's nullification of tariff laws.

Full text (Wikisource)

About this source

What it is

This is a proclamation issued by President Andrew Jackson in 1832, responding to an ordinance passed by a South Carolina convention that declared certain federal tariff laws null and void within the state.

Why it matters

The proclamation shows Jackson directly confronting a state's challenge to federal authority during the Nullification Crisis, a major test of the power of the national government under his presidency.

Look closer

  • What arguments does Jackson use to assert federal authority over South Carolina's claims?
  • Why might Jackson have felt it necessary to issue a public proclamation rather than act quietly?
  • What does this document reveal about tensions between states and the federal government in this period?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Andrew Jackson on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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