John C. Calhoun's Contribution To The United States

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John C. Calhoun was born on March 18, 1782 in Abbeville district, South Carolina. He was born to a wealthy family that had recently moved from Pennsylvania. He enrolled in a local academy at eighteen years old and attended Yale College two years later. After college, Calhoun spent a year at law school and studied in the office of a member of the Federalist Party. He was elected to the South Carolina state legislature in 1808 and to the United States House of Representatives in 1811. A passionate politician, he advocated for war with Great Britain shortly after the inception of the United States. He was the chairman on the committees that passed bills supporting roads, permanent roads, and a strong army and navy. During this time, he was a proponent of nationalism, supporting strong national policies. He served as the secretary of war under James Monroe. He was a leading member of the old Republican party (later the Democratic party). When Calhoun was elected as the vice president …show more content…

Born on a rice plantation, Hayne studied law and was admitted to the bar before he was 21. He is best known for his debate with Daniel Webster, during which he supported the doctrine of nullification. With Calhoun's support, Hayne was elected to the U.S. senate in 1823 and became a prominent supporter of states' rights. In his debate with Webster, Hayne argued that the Constitution was a compact between the states, making the states sovereign over themselves. Because of this, Hayne believed that states should have the ability to nullify any federal law they deemed unconstitutional. In 1832, he helped to pass an ordinance in South Carolina that nullified the national tariff laws. After resigning from the senate in 1832, he attempted to build a railroad in Cincinnati, although the project ultimately failed. He served one term as governor and one year as mayor of Charleston, he decided to focus on