In the United States, the balance of power between the federal government and the states is governed by the principles of federalism and state sovereignty. Federalism...
In the early years of the United States, the balance of power between the states and the federal government was a major issue....
When the American colonies declared independence from Great Britain in 1776, they asserted that each of the 13 colonies was not just breaking...
The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions of 1798, authored by James Madison and Thomas Jefferson, are key documents for understanding the principles of state...
Understanding that the Constitution is a compact between sovereign states is essential for grasping the nature of American federalism and the limits of...
To fully grasp the compact theory of the Constitution, it's helpful to compare it to concepts in contract law. This analogy can make...
Nullification is a practical and constitutional method by which states can push back against federal overreach without dissolving the Union. It allows states...
Nullification, the power of a state to invalidate unconstitutional federal actions, can be exercised by a single state independently or by multiple states...
“Potomac Fever” refers to the obsession with federal power and the belief that all political solutions must come from Washington, D.C. This lesson...
The Founders designed the U.S. Senate to preserve the state sovereignty and keep the federal government in check. However, the ratification of the...
The concept of nullification often faces harsh criticism, with proponents being labeled as radicals or secessionists. However, nullification is rooted in the very...
In The Federalist, No. 46, James Madison expressed great confidence in the states’ ability and willingness to resist federal overreach. He believed that any...
The union is facing a storm of despotism, with federal overreach threatening to drown the sovereignty of the states. This lesson examines how...
