Describe how the nullification crisis was settled.

The
Nullification Crisis began in November of 1832, when South Carolina passed an Ordinance of
Nullification, declaring the tariffs of 1828 and 1832 null void, prohibiting the collection of
the tariffs after February 1, 1833.  After South Carolina nullified the tariff laws, Vice
President John C. Calhoun resigned his office and then was chosen to represent South Carolina in
the U.S. Senate.  Andrew Jackson sought increased power from Congress to enforce the tariff
law.  In January of 1833 the Force Bill was introduced in Congress that would give the president
the power to collect customs duties in South Carolina using the full power of the government if
necessary, meaning the use of military power.  This bill went nowhere until a compromise tariff
bill was introduced in Congress by Henry Clay which provided for the gradual lowering of the
tariff until 1842 when no duty could exceed 20%. Both bills passed Congress and on March 2,
1833, President Jackson signed both.  With the lowering of the tariff and the threat of military
action against South Carolina, and with no other southern state backing South Carolina, on March
15, 1833, South Carolina repealed its nullification ordinance.  The nullification crisis came to
an end, though 3 days later, to preserve what it felt was the states right, it nullified the
Force Act.  Though the crisis came to an end, the debate over the right of a state to nullify
federal laws continued.