John C. Calhoun Trivia Quiz

Answer: South Carolina

Calhoun was born near Abbeville (now Clemson), South Carolina on March 18, 1782.

Answer: Caldwell

Calhoun's father Patrick was a planter and slaveholder who died when his son was only thirteen.

Answer: Connecticut

Calhoun graduated with honors from Yale and then studied at Tapping Reeve's Law School in Litchfield, Connecticut. He was admitted to the bar in 1807.

Answer: Chesapeake

British HMS Leopard stopped the Chesapeake and demanded to search the ship's crew for deserters. The captain of the Chesapeake refused and was attacked. Four sailors were removed from the ship, 3 of whom were US citizens.

Answer: 3

Calhoun served three terms in the House of Representatives, from 1811 to 1817. He left the House to join President James Monroe's cabinet.

Answer: War

Calhoun served as War Secretary from 1817 to 1825.

Answer: True

Calhoun served as vice-president during the administration of John Quincy Adams and then was re-elected as vice-president during the first term of Andrew Jackson.

Answer: Onslow

Onslow was Arthur Onslow, who served as Speaker of the British House of Commons from 1728 to 1761. Onslow was considered to be one of the finest orators of his day and Calhoun, a fine orator himself, chose the "Onslow" psuedonym as a way to honor him.

Answer: Floride

Floride was his first cousin, once removed. They were married in 1811 and had ten children. She died in 1866.

Answer: Tariffs

South Carolina believed that the Tariff Acts of 1828 and 1832 promoted northern industry at the expense of the south and unconstitutionally expanded the powers of the federal government. A compromise tariff, sponsored by Henry Clay, eventually settled the issue.

Answer: Ran for Senate

Calhoun resigned as vice-president on December 12, 1832, with less than three months left on his term. The South Carolina legislature elected him to the U.S. Senate, where Calhoun felt he could better represent his state's interests.

Answer: State

Calhoun became Secretary of State after the previous office holder, Abel Upshaw, was killed in the explosion of the "Peacemaker" gun. Calhoun served as Secretary of State from 1844 to 1845.

Answer: 1850

Calhoun died March 31, 1850 in Washington DC from natural causes. In fact, Calhoun was so ill in his final days that his last speech to the US Senate was given by a fellow senator with Calhoun sitting beside him. Calhoun was too ill even to speak.

Answer: Charleston, SC

Calhoun is buried in St. Philip's Churchyard in Charleston, South Carolina. Actually, he is buried in the cemetary across the street from the church. Only those people actually born in Charleston can be buried in the cemetary around the church and since Calhoun was born in the western part of the state, he is buried across the street.

He is not buried with his wife and children since they were all born in Charleston and are buried across the street from him.

Answer: Clemson

In his will, Calhoun's son-in-law Thomas Green Clemson, married to Calhoun's daughter Anna, left a call for the establishment of the Clemson Agricultural College on the property of his Fort Hill, South Carolina estate. The college changed its name to Clemson University in 1964.