Calhoun became the leading spokesperson for the sovereignty of the individual states, while at the same time seeking to preserve the Union. With the outcome of the Civil War 1861-65, national union would triumph over states’ rights, however, there have been legitimate concerns over the independence of states up until the present. Examine some of the arguments Calhoun makes in his Fort Hill Address and Address to the People of the United States. What is John C. Calhoun’s argument on the use of federal power? Are the issues discussed similar to the issues debated at the Constitutional Convention in 1787? What are his strongest and most valid points?
