Slaughterhouse Cases
This is the decision in which the U.S. Supreme Court interpreted the Fourteenth Amendment for the first time. The dispute provided the occasion for…
Reed v. Reed (1971)
The political and social context of the U.S. Supreme Court’s November 22, 1971, decision in Reed v. Reed is important. A proposed Equal Rights Amendment had been approved by the…
National League of Cities v. Usery (1976)
The Tenth Amendment has long been the constitutional cornerstone of “states’ rights” and there are numerous cases dealing with the Tenth Amendment to the…
Military Affairs
The relationship between the military and federalism is a constitutionally mandated relationship that has historical roots. The armed forces are constitutionally charged with implementing…
Implied Powers of the U.S. Constitution
The United States, unlike most other national governments, is a government of limited powers. In theory, it possess only those powers specifically granted it…
Takings Clause: Fifth Amendment
The Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution provides that private property shall not “be taken for public use, without just…
Referendum
A referendum refers to the procedure of placing before the electorate a particular piece of legislation for approval or rejection. Following approval by a…
Racial Discrimination
Racial discrimination occurs when individuals are denied opportunities for political participation, education, employment, and other services based on race. Historically African Americans, Latinos, Asians,…
Political Parties
For most of American history, political parties have been shaped by the decentralized nature of the American political system. Unlike political parties in unitary…
National Defense and Interstate Highway Act of 1956
The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 established the Dwight D. Eisenhower System of Interstate and Defense Highways. No government project stimulates the nation’s economy…
Education Commission of the States
Education Commission of the States Share The Education Commission of the States (ECS) was created by an interstate compact in 1965 to strengthen the…
Interstate Compacts
According to the Compact Clause (Article I, Section 10) of the U.S. Constitution, states have the authority to enter into compacts with each other…
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965 was a central component of President Lyndon Johnson’s war on poverty and one of the…
