Final answer:
The idea that a state could declare federal legislation invalid is described by the term 'nullification'. This concept was central to the Nullification Crisis of the 1830s, which also closely related to states' rights and the debate over slavery.
Step-by-step explanation:
The crisis that erupted in the 1830s over the concept that a state could declare federal legislation invalid and prevent its enforcement is termed the Nullification Crisis. This crisis stemmed from a conflict over the Tariff of 1828 and Tariff of 1832, which South Carolina deemed disadvantageous to its economy and sought to nullify.
The word that describes the idea that a state could declare federal legislation invalid and prevent its enforcement is nullification. Vice President John Calhoun was a vocal advocate of nullification, arguing that the Constitution was a compact between sovereign states. This controversial view was tied to fears within southern states regarding federal intervention in slavery and state rights.
During the nullification crisis, South Carolina passed an Ordinance of Nullification, essentially nullifying the federal tariff laws within its borders and threatening secession from the Union. President Andrew Jackson, valuing the preservation of the Union and asserting federal authority, responded with the Force Bill, which authorized the use of military force against states that defied federal tariffs. However, the crisis was defused with the Compromise Tariff Act of 1833, which gradually lowered tariffs.