What is the significance of the case of McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) in the evolution of American federalism?
What is the significance of the case of McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) in the evolution of American federalism?
The McCulloch case is very important to American Federalism because of the implications that came with its establishment of the “elastic clause” in the United States Constitution. What came with this decision was the idea of the Necessary and Proper Clause that, after this particular case, allowed for the national government to be favored in unspecified issues in the judicial system. The specific case cited the Supremacy Law in Article IV of the Constitution. It also allowed for decisions in the state judicial system to be capable of reviewing by the Supreme Court, which is the federal body of the judiciary. Justice Kennedy, on the majority of the case said “States may not enact laws that burden out-of-state producers…” This solidifies that state actions must remain in the state to avoid federal law.