Which figure is associated with states' rights and the defense of slavery through the doctrine of nullification?

• A. Elizabeth Cady Stanton
• B. Frederick Douglass
• C. John C. Calhoun
• D. Henry David Thoreau

Answer: (C)

States' rights and the idea that states can reject or overturn federal laws they view as unconstitutional are at the heart of the doctrine of nullification. John C. Calhoun popularized and defended this view, arguing that states should have the final say in whether federal measures apply within their borders. He linked the theory to protecting the institution of slavery, contending that federal power could threaten slavery in new territories and states, so nullification was a way for slaveholding states to safeguard their interests. His key writings and leadership during the Nullification Crisis articulate how a state could refuse to enforce federal tariffs and laws it deemed unconstitutional. Other figures listed are known for abolition or broader reform ideas, not for championing nullification, so Calhoun is the one most closely associated with this doctrine and its defense of slavery.