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United States Constitution Adopted
New Hampshire became the the ninth state to ratify the Constitution on this date. With nine states ratifying the Constitution became the official framework of the country. This also marks the birth of Federalism as a legal practice. -
Bill of Rights Ratified
On this date the state of Virginia ratified the Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution. This is a significant point for Federalism because an amendment that would have placed a limited on each individual's power was not ratified. This was also significant because to ensure that original Constitution was passed the Federalist ensured that an amendment(s) would follow protecting individual liberties. -
McCulloch v. Maryland
This was an important event for Federalism and the Constitution because the Supreme Court set several important decisions. Chief Justice Marshall declared that the Constitution is a living document, giving it the ability the evolve with the needs and times of the nation. It was also decided to that the states do not have the power to tax the federal government. -
Gibbons v. Ogden
This Supreme Court ruling centered around Article 1, Section 8 (Commerce Clause) of the Constitution. This ruling defined commerce as all commercial interactions and all business dealings (as it was not previously defined in the Constitution). The ruling also declared that the powers of regulating interstate commerce was exclusive the the federal government. -
Montgomery Convention
On this date a convention of six states (SC, MS, FL, AL, GA, and LA) went in Montgomery, AL to establish a new form of government following their succession from the union. The main issue at hand was the rights of the states and effects of federal legislation of different regions of the country (mainly North vs. South). -
End of the Civil War
This date marked the end of the Civil War. With the Confederate defeated the nation was now whole again. "Essentially, the Civil War brought to an ultimate and violent climax [to] the ideological debate that had been outlined by the Federalist and Anti-Federalist parties even before the Constitution was ratified." -
Ratificatication of 13 Amendment
This 13th amendment to the Constitution abolished slavery. In doing so, this amendment also nullified the 3/5th compromise. This required a recount of the representation each state had in the House of Representatives and resulted in additional assemblyman for southern states. -
Ratification of the 14th Amendement
This amendment while purposed to designate who is a citizen, also had provisions that guaranteed equal rights under state law. It read "[No] State [shall] deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law, nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protect of law." -
Schechter Poultry Corp. v. United States
This Supreme Court decision was decided against the federal government. In response to The Great Depression, Congress passed a anti-poverty act and a job creation bill. Those acts were challenged and the Supreme Court decided that poverty was a state issued and declared Congress' actions unconstitutional. -
United States v. Lopez
Supreme Court ruling decided against the federal government further defining Article 1, Section 8 (Commerce Clause). It this ruling Congress passed a federal gun-free school zone under claims it was regulating commerce. The Supreme Court defeated the crime prevention measure ruling citing the measure was not involving commerce. -
United States v. Morrison
In this decision the Supreme Court repealed key portions of 1994 Violence Against Women Act. Again it was decided that Congress had overstepped Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution, as the act was not regulating commerce. -
Affordable Care Act
The Affordable Care Act which among other things placed an individual requirement for all Americans to carry health insurance. Failure to comply with the Affordable Care Act results in a tax penalty. The act was challenged in the Supreme Court as an unconstitutional measure of Article 1, Section 8 (commerce clause). In a narrow margin of 5-4 the measure was upheld citing Congress' ability to set taxes.
