The Tariff of 1828, also known as the 'Tariff of Abominations,' was a significant piece of legislation signed into law by President John Quincy Adams. This tariff was designed to protect American wool manufacturers by imposing high duties on imported wool and other goods. The national goal was to shield developing industries from foreign competition, particularly in the wake of a growing industrial economy in the North. Manufacturers sought protectionist measures to compete against the influx of cheaper foreign goods brought in through increased trade.

The passage of the tariff was deeply divisive, particularly between the Northern and Southern states. While Northern industries welcomed the protective measures as a means to bolster their manufacturing capabilities, Southern states perceived the tariff as an affront to their agricultural economy. The South relied heavily on imports and felt the tariff disproportionately favored Northern economic interests, which sowed the seeds for sectional tensions that would later escalate in the antebellum period.

As a political maneuver, this tariff became a pivotal issue in the subsequent presidential elections and informed debates around states' rights and economic policy. Southern states would later attempt to nullify the tariff, leading to theories of secession and setting an early precedent for the conflicts that would characterize U.S. politics in the years leading up to the Civil War. John Quincy Adams, facing pushback from these states, found his presidency challenged by this profound national divide, illustrating the complex relationship between regional economics and federal policies.