Final answer:
John C. Calhoun's 'Exposition and Protest' was a response to the Tariff of 1828, advocating the doctrine of nullification, and underscoring the growing rift between the Northern and Southern states over federal authority and states' rights.
Step-by-step explanation:
John C. Calhoun's pamphlet 'Exposition and Protest' was directly associated with the outcry against the Tariff of 1828. Calhoun, serving as Vice President, anonymously authored this document, which became known as Calhoun's Exposition, for the South Carolina legislature. In it, he presented a formidable argument against the tariff, which he viewed as unconstitutional because it was not uniformly applied and evidently favored the Northern industries over Southern interests.
Furthermore, Calhoun introduced the concept of nullification, whereby states could declare a federal law null and void within their borders if deemed unconstitutional. In his treatise, Calhoun explored the ramifications of this doctrine, including the right of states to secede from the Union in the ultimate case of irreconcilable differences with the federal government. This document highlighted the growing sectional tensions and is an essential piece in understanding the events leading up to the American Civil War.