HENRY CLAY (APRIL 12, 1777- JUNE 29, 1852)

"I'd rather be right than president"

A politician from Kentucky, he represented the interests of the emerging West. He served in the U.S. Senate in 1806 and then served in the House of Representatives in 1811. He is considered the most powerful politician to never serve as president. Clay was also well known for being an orator and could effectively get his point across to an audience.

DANIEL WEBSTER (JANUARY 18, 1782 – OCTOBER 24, 1852)

"A country cannot subsist well without liberty, nor liberty without virtue."

A politician from New Hampshire, Webster represented the interests of New England and of the North. After being known in New England as a strong opposer of the War of 1812, he was elected to Congress in 1813. Considered the greatest orator of his time, he was known as "Black Dan," due to his dark hair and complexion along with his uninviting personality. Due to his faith in the North, he advocated for federal policies that would benefit the industrializing North.

JOHN C. CALHOUN (MARCH 18, 1782 - MARCH 31, 1850)

"We make the great mistake in supposing all people capable of self-government"

A politician from South Carolina, he represented the interests of the South. Specifically, he spoke on behalf of slave owners. In 1811, he was elected to Congress and instigated the Nullification Crisis. This was due to his belief that states did not have to follow federal law. As a strong advocate of slavery, he continuously defended that it was legal under the Constitution.

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