Students learn how the Nullification Crisis revealed tensions over federal and state power. They examine how tariffs fueled conflict, and how leaders used force and compromise to shape authority, representation, and the survival of the Union.
Students learn how the Nullification Crisis revealed tensions over federal and state power. They examine how tariffs fueled conflict, and how leaders used force and compromise to shape authority, representation, and the survival of the Union.
Students review key vocabulary related to tariffs, nullification, and secession, then examine a map of the United States in 1832 and read background text about early conflicts between state and federal power. They respond to a discussion wall prompt explaining whether a state should be allowed to cancel (nullify) a federal law it believes is harmful or unfair, and justify their reasoning. Finally, they read a brief overview of how disputes over tariffs and the Nullification Crisis will be explored in the experience, along with the lesson objectives.
Teacher MovesPre-teach and reinforce the term “nullify” so students clearly understand its meaning before they respond. Use student posts on the discussion wall to surface a range of viewpoints about state versus federal authority, highlighting contrasting ideas and connecting them to the concept of federalism. Emphasize that these disagreements reveal how a young United States was testing the balance of power between state and national governments. Review the experience objectives and, if desired, plan to revisit the initial discussion question near the end of the lesson so students can reflect on whether their thinking has changed.
Students read a passage explaining how national policies, especially tariffs, affected regions differently and sparked disputes over authority. They then read South Carolina and the Nullification Crisis to understand how tariff conflicts escalated into a challenge to federal power. Using a series of fill-in-the-blank (inline choice) items, they select key terms and ideas that complete statements about South Carolina’s response and the broader debate over states’ rights and federal authority.
Teacher MovesFrame the reading and activity as an example of how economic disagreements can expose deeper political tensions. As students complete the inline-choice items, circulate to check for understanding and clarify misconceptions about tariffs, regional interests, and nullification. In debrief, highlight how South Carolina’s actions and the national response illustrate ongoing struggles over who holds final authority in the United States and how federalism operates in practice.
Students read an explanation of how national leaders took different positions during the Nullification Crisis, then study the resource Responses to the Nullification Crisis to learn about Andrew Jackson’s and Henry Clay’s approaches. Using a drawing tool, they type and place the numbered summary statements to match each response with either Jackson or Clay, distinguishing between forceful defense of federal authority and compromise over tariffs. Afterward, they respond to a discussion wall prompt explaining how the Nullification Crisis tested the balance of power between states and the federal government, using two examples from the texts in scenes 2 and 3 and commenting on a classmate’s post.
Teacher MovesIntroduce the scene by emphasizing that Jackson and Clay represented contrasting but interconnected strategies—enforcing federal law and seeking compromise. Review the matching activity with the class, prompting students to explain why each statement fits Jackson or Clay and how their actions worked together to resolve the crisis. During the discussion wall activity, press students to cite specific evidence from the readings, and highlight strong examples that connect leader actions to the broader debate over authority and the survival of the Union. Optionally, connect Jackson’s stance to his image as a populist leader and guide students to consider whose interests were protected or sidelined in the crisis.
Students read an introduction explaining that Calhoun, Jackson, and Clay expressed competing views about the balance of power between states and the federal government. They then analyze three adapted primary-source excerpts: Calhoun’s Exposition and Protest, Jackson’s Proclamation Regarding Nullification, and a speech by Henry Clay on the tariff compromise. For each hot-text activity, they click the line that best expresses the leader’s key idea about federal power, states’ rights, the Union, or compromise, using these selections to compare perspectives on how to resolve the crisis.
Teacher MovesPosition this scene as an extension that deepens students’ understanding of the crisis through leaders’ own words. After students complete each hot-text item, review the correct lines and discuss why they best capture the author’s perspective. Facilitate a synthesis conversation asking what Calhoun, Jackson, and Clay’s statements reveal about different strategies for handling conflicts between state and federal power, and how their ideas reflect competing visions of liberty, authority, and unity in the 1830s.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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