The Theme Of Division Of Power In The United States

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The division of power between the federal and state government shaped American history because it led to multiple challenges in the country and shaped how we work as a country today. Even today, The United States of America struggles with dividing power between the federal and the state governments, even though the Tenth Amendment clearly defines it. “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” This amendment states how each power should be divided. The Federal Government has all of the power that the Constitution gives them. All other powers are for the State Government and the people of that state. As a result of this amendment, decisions in our country have been impacted. …show more content…

Personal liberty laws are the first prime example of this theme in the United States. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 did not provide a trial by jury and was an act established by the federal government. Many people thought this act was unfair because equal rights were not given in this example. As a result, many states decided to ratify personal liberty laws. These laws countered the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793. These liberties gave runaway slaves a fast and fair trial by jury. This connects to the central question because in this case, a law was passed by the federal government that gave slaves a huge disadvantage. Many states decided to put in these personal liberty laws to counter this act. A state can help out its people by putting these laws in. The federal government was able to ratify a law, but state governments could counter it with their own

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