Nullifier Party facts for kids

The Nullifier Party was a political group in the United States. It was active in the 1830s, mainly in South Carolina. This party was one of the first "third parties" in American history. It was started by John C. Calhoun around 1828.

The Nullifier Party believed strongly in "states' rights." This meant they thought individual states should have more power than the federal government. They also supported the idea of "nullification." This was a belief that a state could ignore or cancel a federal law if they thought it was unfair. They based this idea on the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions. The party also supported slavery.

The Nullifier Party was formed shortly after the Anti-Masonic Party. The Anti-Masonic Party, created in New York in February 1828, is often called the first third party. The Nullifier Party had members in both the U.S. Congress from 1831 to 1839.

What the Nullifier Party Believed

The party's main ideas came from John C. Calhoun. He explained them in a document called the South Carolina Exposition and Protest in 1828. This was a response to a law called the "Tariff of Abominations."

The Tariff of Abominations

A "tariff" is a tax on goods brought into a country. The "Tariff of Abominations" was a very high tax on imported goods. People in the South, especially South Carolina, felt this tariff hurt their economy. They believed it made imported goods too expensive. This made it harder for them to trade their farm products, like cotton, with other countries.

The Nullifier Party argued that South Carolina had the right to "nullify" this federal tariff. This meant they believed the state could declare the tariff invalid within its borders. This idea led to a big disagreement with President Andrew Jackson.

Presidential Elections

In the 1832 presidential election, the Nullifier Party supported John Floyd of Virginia for president. Floyd was not an official candidate. However, South Carolina's state legislature gave him all 11 of its electoral votes. The party's choice for Vice President was Henry Lee from Massachusetts.

After the Party Ended

After President Andrew Jackson left office, the Nullifier Party began to fade. John C. Calhoun and most of his followers rejoined the Democratic Party. A smaller group joined the Whig Party. The Nullifier Party officially ended around 1839.

Important Members

Here are some of the well-known members of the Nullifier Party:

• John C. Calhoun
• Robert Y. Hayne
• John Floyd
• Stephen D. Miller
• James H. Hammond
• William C. Preston
• Henry L. Pinckney
• Robert B. Campbell
• William K. Clowney
• Warren R. Davis
• John Myers Felder
• John K. Griffin
• Francis Wilkinson Pickens
• George McDuffie
• Franklin H. Elmore

Congressional Presence

The Nullifier Party had members elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.

• In the 1830 House elections, they won 4 seats.
• By the 1832 House elections, they increased to 9 seats.
• Their number of seats in the House slowly decreased in later elections.
• In the Senate, they generally held 1 or 2 seats during their existence.