Which crisis involved a tariff dispute over states' rights with South Carolina?

• A. Tariff War
• B. Nullification Crisis
• C. Missouri Compromise
• D. Adams Onis Crisis

Answer: (B)

The situation tests understanding of a clash between states’ rights and federal authority over tariffs. South Carolina argued that federal tariffs placed unfair burdens on the South and claimed states could declare federal laws invalid within their borders. This led to the Nullification Crisis, a defining moment where the state threatened to nullify the tariffs and even consider secession if federal power wasn’t checked. The crisis brought in a push for a strong federal response, the Force Bill from Congress, and eventually a compromise tariff that eased the immediate dispute while highlighting the ongoing debate about where sovereignty lies. The other options refer to different historical issues: a generic tariff fight, the Missouri Compromise over slavery’s sectional balance, and the Adams–Onís Crisis over territorial boundaries with Spain.