Competent American citizenship and governance require an understanding of federalism. Analysis of post-Dobbs interstate abortion issues highlight very important features of and debates about federalism for students.
American federalism was designed with two key features: sovereignty of states over their own laws and the end of interstate restrictions on trade and travel. The Founders wanted to preserve people’s authority to govern themselves in their own states while also creating a national union. Respecting both values is sometimes difficult. A modern challenge comes from the return of abortion regulation to the states. READ MORE
