John C. Calhoun (US politician, not directly related but for disambiguation)

John C. Calhoun was a prominent 19th-century American politician from South Carolina, serving as Vice President, Senator, and Secretary of State. Known for his strong defense of states' rights and slavery, he argued that states should have the power to nullify federal laws they deemed unconstitutional. Calhoun was a leading advocate of Southern interests and believed in maintaining the social and economic system of slavery. His ideas significantly influenced the debates over federal authority and states’ rights leading up to the Civil War.