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Articles of Confederation
This document gave nearly full power to the states by allowing them each to be separate, soveriegn entities. It diminishes the power of the federal government by excluding an executive branch and giving it no power over taxation or commerce. -
The Constitutional Convention
The convention strengthened the federal government with the removal of The Articles of Confederation and the creation of the U.S. Constitution. The convention specifically outlined the powers of the federal government, including taxation, interstate and international commerce regulation, and the creation of an executive head of state. -
Commerce Clause (Article I, Section 8, Clause 3)
This clause of the U.S. Constitution expanded the power of the Federal governement to include regulation of interstate and foreign commerce. This power is denied to the states, thus heightening the influence of the federal government over economic affairs. -
10th Amendment
This amendment reserved all powers not expressly given to the federal government in the Constitution to the States. Therefore, it limited the federal government by restricting it to only its enumerated powers, and it expanded the power of the states by reserving all undefined possibilities of powers for them to carry out. -
McCulloch v. Maryland
This ruling expanded the power of the federal government by setting a precedent that federal government had the power to create federal banks and on state property without being subject to taxation. In this way, it increased federal power to be supreme over states economically. -
Gibbons v. Ogden
This case expanded the power of the federal government by ruling that the power of Congress to regulate interstate commerce includes regulation of navigation. It expands the legislative power of the federal government through the elasticity of the neccessary and proper clause. -
American Civil War
The Civil War strengthened the federal government by forcefully uniting the states under a single system. It removed the rights of the states to nullify the federal government or its acts, or to secede from the union. -
14th Amendment
The Due Process clause and Equal Protection clause of this amendment limits the power of the states to interfere with the fundamental rights of a citizen, specifically previous slaves that were now granted citizenship. The federal government was granted an increase in power by the Power of Enforcement clause, which allowed Congress to pass laws that would enforce the laws in the states if necessary. -
Pure Food and Drug Act
This act expanded the federal government to include regulation of food and drug products for consumer protection. This increases the power of the federal government to intervene in private enterprise on behalf of the public. -
16th Amendment
This amendment increased the power of the Federal government by giving Congress the right to levy income taxes without apportionment among the states. It gave the federal government increased control over the economic system by allowing them to tax without the constitutional requirements for direct taxation. -
Gitlow v. New York
This decision increased the power of the federal government by limiting the states' power to deny human rights. It decided that the 14th amendment applies to the states as well the federal government. -
The New Deal
FDR's New Deal strengthened the federal government by giving it the authority to create domestic relief, recovery, and reform policies in order to boost the economy during the Great Depression. Its Social Security Act expanded the federal government to include pay roll taxes to create welfare benefits and retirement pensions. -
Korematsu v. United States
This case increased the power of the federal government by declaring its constitutional right to reolacte citizens during war time based on military justifications. This declared Japanese internment during WWII constitutional. -
Brown v. Board of Education
This ruling increased federal power by declaring that the power of the states to have "separate but equal" schools was unconstitutional. It reduced the power of the states to enforce discriminatory regulation and gave the federal government the power to influence education (a state power) when dealing with civil rights. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
This act increased federal power by giving it influence over civil rights affairs regarding race. It limited the power of the states by requiring them to abide by the restrictions set by the federal government. -
Economic Opportunity Act of 1964
This act increased the power of the federal government by allowing it to regulate local community action agencies. This expansion of federal power to include influence on topics of education, poverty, and health locally moves into the territory of power previously held by the states. -
Heart of Atlanta Motel, Inc. v. United States
This case increased federal power by giving Congress the ability to use the commerce clause of the Constitution to make private businesses follow the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This expanded federal influence into the private sector based on discrimination and abuse of civil rights. -
Roe v. Wade
This limited state power by giving states the right to regulate abortions on the basis of protection of health and life only after the third trimester of a woman's pregnancy. This expanded the states power to influence personal medical decisions of individuals, but limited them to necessities of health. -
Election of Ronald Reagan
Reagan's election resulted in the implementation of his plan for devolution, or a shift from federal to state power. This included a big push to decrease the federal role in the welfare system and to give states large block grants. -
Americans with Disabilities Act
This act increased the power of the federal government by extending its influence over civil rights in the categories of disability. It limited the power of the states to discriminate, and required them to follow the rules set by the federal government accordingly. -
Planned Parenthood v. Casey
This decision increased state power by upholding a state's power to restrict abortions in a specific way. The decision gave Pennsylvania the right to include a waiting period, pamphlets, and parental consent. -
United States v. Lopez
This case increased the power of the state governments by limiting the power of the federal government, specifically Congress, under the commerce clause. It ruled that the commerce clause did not give the federal government power to regulate gun usage in schools, thus reserving such powers for the states. -
104th Congress
Congress increased states' power through devolution, moving federal power down to state levels. The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunities Reconciliation Act of 1996 gave strict federal restrictions on welfare, but block grants enabled states to increase their own influence. Further, federal review of state criminal cases was restricted. -
Printz v. United States
This case increased state power by limiting the power of the federal government, specifically Congress, to pass laws that stretch the necessary and proper clause too far. It reserves intrastate regulation of gun control to the states. -
The Development of the Department of Homeland Security
The creation of this department strengthened the federal government by giving it the power to protect the U.S. territories from terrorist attacks or disasters. This expanded the power of the federal government to include such things as customs and border protection of citizens, immigrants, and even plants and animals.
