John C. Calhoun:
A Vice Presidential Unit

John C. Calhoun was born in Calhoun Mills, Abbeville District, South Carolina on March 18, 1782. Because of his father’s illness, he could no longer study but he later studied under his brother-in-law at Yale and admitted to the bar in 1807. In 1808 and 1809 he became a member of the South Carolina legislature, and was a member of the national House of Representatives from 1811 to 1817. During the time of strained relations between Great Britain and the United States, he became a leader of the war hawks in 1810. From 1817 to 1825, he became the secretary of war where he continued his role of leading nationalist. Although he was one of the candidates of 1824 election, he lost and decided to become a candidate for 7th Vice President and won. In 1932, he ran for the Senate and won. Then, he died on March 31, 1850 in Washington DC.

Political Party: Democratic Party

Years Served: March 4, 1825 – December 28, 1832

President: John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson

Name of His Parents: Patrick and Martha Caldwell Calhoun

Wife’s name: Floride Calhoun

Education: Yale University

State of Birth: South Carolina

1.
What was he best known for? His intense defense of slavery as a positive good, promotion of minority rights, and for pointing the South toward secession from the Union

2.
What is his descent group? Scottish-Irish

3.
Where is he buried now? St. Philip's Church yard in Charleston, South Carolina

Of Note:

- Yale University named one of its undergraduate residence halls "Calhoun College”.
- When he was 17, his father became ill so he had to quit school and work on the family farm.
- Calhoun died of tuberculosis.
- He has served 3 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives.
- Calhoun supported that Tariffs were unconstitutional and, therefore, illegal in South Carolina.

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