What impact did John C. Calhoun have on American history?

He helped shape American policy throughout the 19th century as (Andrew Jackson's) Vice President, Secretary of State, Senator, and Secretary of War. read more

John C. Calhoun (1782-1850), was a prominent U.S. statesman and spokesman for the slave-plantation system of the antebellum South. As a young congressman from South Carolina, he helped steer the United States into war with Great Britain and established the Second Bank of the United States. read more

In 1811, John C. Calhoun was elected to Congress, and from that date until his death he served in the federal government. In Congress, he quickly aligned himself with the War Hawks. At this stage of his career he was an ardent nationalist, supporting Henry Clay's American System. read more