Nullification Crisis

Definition

The Nullification Crisis refers to a political conflict in the early 1830s between the federal government and the state of South Carolina. It arose when South Carolina attempted to nullify, or declare invalid, a federal tariff law within its borders, leading to threats of secession and potential armed conflict.

Related terms

Tariff: A tax on imported goods that can affect international trade and domestic industries.

States' Rights: The principle that individual states have certain powers and rights separate from those granted to the federal government.

Secession: The act of withdrawing or separating from a larger entity, such as when states attempt to leave or break away from the United States.