Here are thirteen lessons providing easy explanations about the basis for Making America STATES Again.
Click here to listen to the audio versions of these lessons.
- Lesson 1: State Sovereignty, Federalism, and the Right to Refuse Unconstitutional Federal Acts
- Lesson 2: Understanding State Sovereignty, Federalism, and States’ Rights
- Lesson 3: The Treaty of Paris and State Sovereignty in Early America
- Lesson 4: Understanding State Sovereignty and Federalism Through the Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions
- Lesson 5: The Constitution as a Compact Between Sovereign States
- Lesson 6: Applying Contract Law to Understand the Compact Theory of the Constitution
- Lesson 7: Nullification in Practice
- Lesson 8: Nullification — A Solo or a Chorus?
- Lesson 9: Overcoming “Potomac Fever” and Restoring Constitutional Governance
- Lesson 10: Party Above Principle — The Rise of Partisan Politics and the Erosion of State Sovereignty
- Lesson 11: What Would Jefferson Do? — Defending Nullification and State Sovereignty
- Lesson 12: Madison’s Confidence in State Resistance and the Reality of Modern Federalism
- Lesson 13: The Storm of Statism and the Remedy of State Sovereignty
Lesson 1: State Sovereignty, Federalism, and the Right to Refuse Unconstitutional Federal Acts
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 is the system in which power is divided between a central government and individual states, while state sovereignty refers to the idea that states have independent authority and control over their own affairs. A key aspect of this relationship is the authority of the states to resist or refuse to enforce federal laws that they believe overstep constitutional boundaries.
Lesson 2: Understanding State Sovereignty, Federalism, and States’ Rights
In the early years of the United States, the balance of power between the states and the federal government was a major issue. This balance is at the heart of the concepts of state sovereignty, federalism, and states’ rights. These ideas are rooted in the belief that the states, which originally agreed to form the Union, have a crucial role in ensuring that the federal government does not overstep its bounds.
Lesson 3: The Treaty of Paris and State Sovereignty in Early America
When the American colonies declared independence from Great Britain in 1776, they asserted that each of the 13 colonies was not just breaking away from British rule, but each was becoming a free, sovereign, and independent state. This idea of state sovereignty means that each state has full control over its own government, free from external control. The Treaty of Paris, signed in 1783, which officially ended the Revolutionary War, provides clear evidence that the Founders understood and affirmed this concept of state sovereignty.