McCulloch v. Maryland: A Power Shift in Early America

750 Words2 Pages

McCulloch v. Maryland The McCulloch v. Maryland case set the tone for the power of the new Constitution. The Constitution was still young, and had yet to be tested. The country lacked financially stability. The War of 1812 tested the economy, and many banks collapsed. The surviving banks, chartered by the states did not have sufficient credit to kick-start the economy again. In 1816, a charter was given by Congress to create a second national bank. At this time, people feared that the national government was becoming too powerful by established the bank. The national bank was established in Maryland. Maryland believed the bank was unconstitutional. Nowhere in the Constitution did it say that the government had the power to create one. Also, …show more content…

Unlike in the past, under the Articles of Confederation, the states were now led by the national government. The ultimate authority of the Constitution was brought out. The decision set the tone for all future court cases that tested the powers of the state v. the national government. After this case, two principles were brought out. First, the Constitution grants Congress implied powers to be used to carry out expressed powers to create a functional national government. Second, a state cannot impede upon valid constitutional exercises by the Federal government. For the states, the decision was signified a great loss of power. Matthew R. Connelly, author of Power in the Marshall Court: the Political Impact of McCulloch v. Maryland said, “ The decision also indicated to what extent a state could be considered sovereign. The opinion that a state could not tax a federal entity severely restricted a state’s author to tax to those situations explicitly enumerated in the Constitution. In general, the opinion demonstrated that while federal powers would be broadly interpreted, state powers would be significantly limited.” It forever changed the relationship between states and the national government. Without a doubt, the McCulloch v. Maryland case will continue to serve as a model for any future debates over the

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