Court Cases of the Early Republic

Reaffirmed that when there is a conflict between the state's law and a federal statute, "the act of Congress . . . is supreme; and the law of the state...must yield to it."

• Marbury v. Madison (1803)

• Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)

• McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Declared that states had no right to interfere with federal institutions within their borders; "the power to tax involves the power to destroy"

• Marbury v. Madison (1803)

• McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

• Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)

"It is emphatically the province and duty of the judicial department to say what the law is... If two laws conflict with each other, the courts must decide on the operation of each."

• Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)

• Marbury v. Madison (1803)

• McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Declared that Congress has the power to create the national bank under the "necessary & proper clause" (elastic clause) of the U.S. Constitution.

• Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)

• Marbury v. Madison (1803)

• McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

First time Supreme Court ruled on federal and state laws in conflict.

• McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

• Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)

• Marbury v. Madison (1803)

Strengthened the power of the judiciary by making it the final authority in interpreting the Constitution.

• Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)

• Marbury v. Madison (1803)

• McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Led to federal government regulation of activities regulating anything that involves commerce between states such as railroads, pipelines, minimum wage regulation, and prohibition of child labor.

• McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

• Marbury v. Madison (1803)

• Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)

8. Case arose because both NY and the federal government granted licenses to run a steamboat ferry service.

• Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)

• McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

• Marbury v. Madison (1803)

Made the Supreme Court the final word on the constitutionality of a law.

• Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)

• Marbury v. Madison (1803)

• McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Case arose because the State of Maryland taxed the branch of the Second National Bank located in Maryland.

• McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

• Marbury v. Madison (1803)

• Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)