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Articles of Confederation (state)
The Articles of Confederation was the US's first attempt at creating a government, but the AoC did not work for forever. The AoC gave too much power to the state government so the federal government did not have almost any power. -
Constitutional Convention (federal)
The Constitutional Convention was the meetings that were held in order to revise the Articles of Confederation. The AoC needed to be changed because the federal government had little to no power. After all revisions were made, the federal government finally had some backbone in the Constitution. -
Supremacy Clause (federal)
The Supremacy Clause lets the people and the states know that everything the federal government does and creates is supreme over their ideas. This is a HUGE federal power because it is showing how the federal government will always be considered as the most important. -
Necessary and Proper Clause (federal)
The Elastic Clause or Necessary and Proper Clause allows Congress to create all laws which are considered nescessary and proper. This clause gives the federal government a great deal of power because if anything is considered necessary and a strong argument can be made, then a potential law can be created. -
10th Amendment (state)
Any powers not outlawed or given to the Federal Government, are given to the states. This amendment shows the Framers attempt at giving the states more rights and freedom than what they (the states) might think they have. This amendment gives more powers to the states than the federal government. -
McCulloch v. Maryland (federal)
In McCulloch v. Maryland, the Supreme Court overruled the state of Maryland and said that Maryland could not tax the federal bank. This decisions led to a stronger federal bank, a stronger federal government, and a strong use of the Necessary and Proper Clause. -
Gibbons v. Ogden (federal)
Gibbons v. Ogden is a supreme court case which debated who had true control over interstate commerence. In the end, it was decided that Congress had control over waterways for interstate commerce and that it was included in the Commerce Clause, This strengthened the federal government because it has more control over the state governments. -
Civil War (federal)
The American Civil War was fought between southern and northern states over a heated debate about slavery and manufacturing. In the end, the north won the fight and the south rejoined the nation. The civil war shows that the federal government is stronger than states because the states could not make it on their own. -
14th Amendment (federal)
This amendment gives citizenship to all people born in the United States. The fourteenth admendment gives more power to the federal government since it limits the actions of the states. It makes legislator run in the states they are living in. -
Plessy v. Ferguson (federal)
This supreme court decision upheld racism and segregation by allowing separate facilities as long as they were equal. This decision strengthened the federal government by intervening in and upholding a state's decision. -
Pure Food and Drug Act (federal)
The Pure Food and Drug Acf was one of the first laws passed that was designed to protect the consumer. The federal government decided that all products have to be labeled correctly and meet a certain purity level/standard. This regulation is a federal power and not a state power because the government wants the same minimum standard throughout the country. -
16th Amendment (federal)
"The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived... "This amendment gives more power to the federal government because it allows Congress to collect federal taxes on one's income. Since the money is going to the federal government and not the state, this amendment makes the federal government stronger. -
Gitlow v. New York (federal)
Gitlow argued that New York was trying to take away his constitutional rights, and the New York had decided that Gitlow broken the first amendment because he was threatening to overthrow the government. In selective incorporation, the Supreme Court ruled that governments could not take away constitutional rights. This case gives the federal government more power because it overruled a state’s case regarding the constitution. -
The New Deal (federal)
The New Deal gave more power to the federal government because it provided people in the hard times of the depression a way to slowly get back on their feet. The New Deal also restrained the banking industry and tried its hardest to fix the ecomomy of the time. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964 (federal)
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlaws discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. This Act overrides states and flat out says to them "You cannot discriminate any longer." This act gives more power to the federal government. -
Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 (state)
The Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 allowed local agencies to form to help fight the War on Poverty. This act wanted to eliminate poverty and help the poor and unemployed. By letting local agencies to set up, the federal government gave more power to the states. -
Roe v. Wade (state)
Roe v. Wade is a supreme court decision deciding on the legality of abortions. The decision was the women have the legal right to an abortion, but it is up to the states to decide on regulations. This case gave the states more power because nowadays some states do not allow abortions while some allow them up to 22 weeks. -
Election of Ronald Reagan (federal)
Reagan won this election in a landslide because of the high number of electoral votes that he won. This election entered the US into the "Reagan Era" which had an emphasis on conservatism. In this era, the federal government became stronger and more present in the world around it. -
Americans with Disabilities Act (federal)
This act declares that discrimination based on disability is not allowed and that employers must provide accommodations to their employees with disabilities. This Act is overpowering the states opinions on what to do with disabled employees because the ADA says discrimination is illegal. -
Planned Parenthood v. Casey
This supreme court decison is tied to Roe v. Wade, but gives it more backing. In this decision, the Supreme Court reaffrims the 14th amendment and that the women are protected. The federal government gained more power here because it backed its own prevision decision and it created its own regulations for abortion. -
United States v. Lopez (state)
In this court case, Lopez felt as if his rights had been violated because congress was overstepping their parameters with the interstate commerce clause and the Gun-Free Zones Act. Since Lopez's gun was not moved between states, it was decided that Congress cannot interfere. This decision gave more power to the states to regulate their gun control. -
104th Congress (state)
The 104th Congress is important because Republicans gained control of the house again since the 1950s. This Congress also pass legislation on unfunded mandates and tried their best to give power back to the states through devolution. -
Printz v. United States (state)
In Printz v. United States, the supreme court decided that interim provisions of the Brady Gun Control Act were unconstitutional and were breaking the 10th amendment. This ruling was in support of states rights because it allowed the states to decide how to handle gun control and other subcategories. -
No Child Left Behind Act (federal)
The No Child Left Behind Act created an educational requirement with high standards to be able to measure goals to help the students. This act also made sure that states had students living up to the standard because funding would be cut if the students did not perform to standard. -
Affordable Care Act (federal)
The Affordable Care Act provides every person in the United States with some kind of affordable health care. It allows for everyone to be insured in some way and is a federal power because it pertains to everyone.