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John C. Calhoun

Definition

He was a leading American politician and political theorist from South Carolina who served as the seventh vice president of the United States from 1825 to 1832. He is remembered for strongly defending slavery and for advancing the concept of minority rights in politics, which he did in the context of protecting Southern interests from perceived Northern threats.

Historical Context

John C. Calhoun was a prominent U.S. politician and political theorist from South Carolina who served as Vice President under both John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson in the early 19th century. He was also a senator, secretary of war, and secretary of state. Calhoun was a leading advocate for states' rights, nullification, and the extension of slavery, which he famously defended as a "positive good."

Historical Significance

John C. Calhoun's staunch defense of slavery and states' rights had significant implications for the United States' political landscape. His ideas contributed to the growing sectionalism that eventually led to the Civil War. As an intellectual father of Southern secession, his legacy influenced Confederate ideology, impacting American history in terms of federal-state relations, civil rights debates, and the perpetuation of racial inequalities long after his death.

Related terms

Nullification Theory: A legal theory that a state has the right to nullify, or invalidate, any federal law which that state has deemed unconstitutional.

Missouri Compromise: An agreement passed in 1820 between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions in Congress, involving primarily the regulation of slavery in western territories.

Andrew Jackson: The seventh President of United States (1829–1837) known for his strong defense of democracy and for causing a shift toward greater democracy known as Jacksonian Democracy.

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Study guides (2)

AP US History - 4.3 Politics and Regional Interests
AP US History - 5.5 Sectional Conflict: Regional Differences

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