John C. Calhoun
John C. Calhoun: A Life of Politics and Principle
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Full Name and Common Aliases
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John Caldwell Calhoun was a prominent American statesman, politician, and legal scholar who is commonly known by his initials J.C.C.
Birth and Death Dates
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Calhoun was born on March 18, 1782, in Abbeville District, South Carolina. He passed away on March 31, 1850, also in South Carolina.
Nationality and Profession(s)
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Nationality: American
Professions:
Politician (Representative, Senator, and Vice President of the United States)
Lawyer
Academic (taught law at Yale University)Early Life and Background
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Calhoun was born into a family of modest means in Abbeville District. His father, Patrick Calhoun, was an Irish immigrant who served as a militia officer during the American Revolution. John's early education took place at home under his mother's guidance, with him showing a keen interest in literature and politics from an early age.
Major Accomplishments
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Representative and Senator: Calhoun represented South Carolina in both the House of Representatives (1811-1817) and the Senate (1832-1843). He was known for his oratory skills, serving as a key advocate for states' rights.
Vice President: From 1825 to 1832, Calhoun served as Vice President under Presidents John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson. During this time, he struggled with the tension between his states' rights views and the policies of the two presidents.
The Nullification Crisis: In 1832, South Carolina's General Assembly passed the Ordinance of Nullification, declaring federal tariffs null and void within their borders. Calhoun played a key role in drafting this ordinance, which ultimately led to the Nullification Crisis.
Notable Works or Actions
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Treatise on Government: In 1817, Calhoun published his Treatise on Government, which outlined his views on federalism and states' rights.
Letters from a South Carolinian: Between 1833-1835, Calhoun wrote a series of letters to his fellow citizens in South Carolina, advocating for the right to nullify federal laws.
Academic Contributions: As a professor at Yale University (1804), Calhoun taught law and developed a significant reputation as an academic.Impact and Legacy
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Calhoun's impact on American politics is multifaceted:
He played a pivotal role in shaping the nation's early development, advocating for states' rights and limited government.
His influence can be seen in his contemporary counterparts: Daniel Webster (Federalist), Henry Clay (National Republican), and Abraham Lincoln (Whig/Republican).
Calhoun's legacy is also felt in modern politics, with debates on federalism, states' rights, and the role of government continuing to this day.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
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John C. Calhoun's enduring relevance stems from his commitment to principle over pragmatism. His willingness to challenge authority and stand by his convictions has made him a powerful figure in American history:
As a masterful orator, he could articulate complex ideas with clarity and conviction.
His passion for states' rights continues to resonate in modern debates on federal power and local control.
* His unwavering dedication to his principles – even when they placed him at odds with the White House – has made him an inspiration to those fighting for their values.
Calhoun's impact extends beyond his own time, influencing generations of politicians, thinkers, and citizens alike.
Quotes by John C. Calhoun
John C. Calhoun's insights on:
A power has risen up in the government greater than the people themselves, consisting of many and various and powerful interests, combined into one mass, and held together by the cohesive power of the vast surplus in the banks.
True consistency, that of the prudent and the wise, is to act in conformity with circumstances and not to act always the same way under a change of circumstances.
It is federal, because it is the government of States united in a political union, in contradistinction to a government of individuals, that is, by what is usually called, a social compact. To express it more concisely, it is federal and not national because it is the government of a community of States, and not the government of a single State or Nation.
If we do not defend ourselves none will defend us; if we yield we will be more and more pressed as we recede; and if we submit we will be trampled under foot. I hold concession or compromise to be fatal. If we concede an inch, concession would follow compromise, until our ranks would be so broken that effectual resistance would be impossible.
We have had so many years of prosperity, we have passed through so many difficulties and dangers without the loss of liberty - that we begin to think that we hold it by divine right from heaven itself ... It is harder to preserve than to obtain liberty.
The object of a Constitution is to restrain the Government, as that of laws is to restrain individuals.
The error is in the assumption that the General Government is a party to the constitutional compact. The States ... formed the compact, acting as sovereign and independent communities.
Democracy, as I understand it, requires me to sacrifice myself for the masses, not to them. Who knows not that if you would save the people, you must often oppose them?