McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
Established supremacy of the U.S. Constitution and federal laws over state laws
McCulloch v. Maryland is a landmark case in American constitutional law, decided by the United States Supreme Court in 1819. The case dealt with the power of the federal government and the limitations on states’ abilities to tax it.
The case arose when the state of Maryland attempted to levy a tax on the Second Bank of the United States, a federal institution established by Congress in 1816. The bank refused to pay the tax, and the state sued the bank’s cashier, James W. McCulloch, to enforce the tax.
The Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision written by Chief Justice John Marshall, held that the federal government had the power to establish a national bank, even though the Constitution did not specifically grant that power. Marshall reasoned that the Constitution’s Necessary and Proper Clause (Article I, Section 8) gave Congress the authority to take any actions that were necessary and proper to carry out its other enumerated powers, including the power to regulate commerce and collect taxes.
In addition, the Court held that Maryland’s attempt to tax the federal bank was unconstitutional because it interfered with the federal government’s ability to carry out its constitutional functions. The Court held that federal law was supreme over state law, and that states could not interfere with the federal government’s ability to function.
The decision in McCulloch v. Maryland established several important principles of federalism in American constitutional law. First, it established the principle of implied powers, giving Congress the authority to take any actions necessary and proper to carry out its other powers. Second, it established the supremacy of federal law over state law, setting the stage for a more centralized federal government. Finally, it clarified the boundaries between the federal and state governments in a way that established a balance of power that has lasted for over 200 years.
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