- arose in early 1830's
- when leaders of S. Carolina advanced the idea that a state could nullify a federal law
- idea of "state's rights" came from John C. Calhoun (Jackson's VP)
- Calhoun and others from S. Carolina were outraged by a tariff passed in 1828 (Tariff of Abominations)
- people thought the tariff unfairly targeted the southern states
- Calhoun resigned from VP and returned to S.C. as a Senator and promoted his idea of nullification
- crisis ended in 1833 with a compromise on a new tariff