Federalism
Federalism and its kindred terms (e.g., “federal”) are used, most broadly, to describe the mode of political organization that unites separate polities into an…
Tenth Amendment
Following the drafting of the original Constitution in 1787, the document met with considerable resistance by Anti-Federalistforces both in state ratifying conventions and in…
Fourteenth Amendment
The Fourteenth Amendment was one of three articles added to the Constitution in the wake of and in response to the Civil War and…
Roe v. Wade (1973)
Roe v. Wade (1973) has probably generated more passion among its opponents and proponents of any decision in the Supreme Court’s history. The Court,…
Supreme Court of the United States
Article III of the Constitution provides that “[t]he judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such…
Madison, James
James Madison (1751–1836) contributed to nearly every important phase of the creation of the United States. The eldest of ten children in a moderately…
U.S. Congress
As the legislature of the U.S. government, the Congress both embodies federalism and influences how federalism is put into practice. Contents 1 THE SENATE AS REPRESENTATIVE…
Articles of Confederation
The Articles of Confederation together with the Declaration of Independence formed the first national compact of the United States of America. Following ratification of…
Amendment Process
The Constitution of the United States, as originally written, contained only 7,000 words. However, the authors recognized the necessity of amending the document. The Articles of Confederation,…
Hamilton, Alexander
Alexander Hamilton was a committed nationalist who was fearful of the promise of states’ rights. As one of the authors of The Federalist Papers,…
U.S. Constitution
The U.S. Constitution created a federal structure in which power is shared by the national government and the states. As part of what Alexander…
Preface
"Federalism and its kindred terms (e.g., 'federal') are used, most broadly, to describe the mode of political organization that unites separate polities into an overarching…
