What document, written by John C. Calhoun, argued that states could nullify federal laws?

The South Carolina Exposition, authored by John C. Calhoun in 1828, is a pivotal document in U.S. history that articulated the doctrine of nullification. In this exposition, Calhoun argued that states have the right to nullify, or invalidate, any federal law that they deem unconstitutional. This argument stemmed from a strong belief in states' rights and the assertion that the federal government is a creation of the states, thereby granting them the authority to reject federal legislation.

Calhoun specifically wrote the South Carolina Exposition in response to the Tariff of 1828, which he and many southerners viewed as detrimental to their economic interests. The document called for the nullification of this tariff within South Carolina, illustrating the tensions between state sovereignty and federal authority that were prevalent in the lead-up to the Civil War.

Other options do not pertain to the concept of nullification. The Federalist Papers are a series of essays promoting the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. The Declaration of States' Rights, while related to the broader context of states' rights, is not a specific document authored by Calhoun. The Southern Manifesto, created later in 1956, was a reaction against