Which of the following best describes the states’ rights debate of the early and mid-1800s?

The debate centered on how power should be divided between the federal government and the states, which is a question of federalism. It also reflected sectionalism: different regions disagreed over policies such as tariffs and slavery, often because those policies affected their economies and interests differently. Therefore, the best choice is “a conflict between the ideas of federalism and sectionalism.”

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