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Primary sourceDocument19 May 1828

Tariff of Abominations

U.S. Congress · 19 May 1828

The 1828 protective tariff law signed by President John Quincy Adams, which deepened sectional conflict in the United States.

Adams signed this tariff into law as president, a decision that intensified sectional political conflict.

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What it is

This is the Tariff of 1828, a very high protective tariff passed by Congress and signed into law by President John Quincy Adams on 19 May 1828. The original document is held by the U.S. National Archives.

Why it matters

Known as the "Tariff of Abominations," this law set high duties on imported goods such as iron. It was reportedly designed to fail in Congress but passed anyway, and it provoked deep anger in the South, helping set off the nullification crisis. As president, Adams's signature put this controversial measure into law.

Look closer

  • Why might a law be designed by its opponents to fail, yet still pass?
  • What does the detailed listing of duties on goods like iron reveal about how tariffs worked in practice?
  • Why did a tariff on imported goods cause such strong sectional anger, especially in the South?

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

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