McCulloch v. Maryland and U.S. v. Lopez: Defining Federal Power

These two landmark Supreme Court cases established crucial precedents regarding federal authority and state rights. McCulloch v. Maryland addressed the scope of Congress's powers, while U.S. v. Lopez examined limits on federal regulation under the Commerce Clause.

Definition: The Necessary and Proper Clause, also known as the Elastic Clause, gives Congress implied powers beyond those explicitly stated in the Constitution.

Highlight: In McCulloch v Maryland, Chief Justice John Marshall's decision established two fundamental principles: Congress's power to create a national bank and states' inability to tax federal institutions.

Example: The U.S. v Lopez decision marked the first time since the New Deal that the Supreme Court limited Congress's power under the Commerce Clause, striking down the Gun-Free School Zones Act.

Quote: "The supremacy clause asserts that the national government is superior to state governments when the two conflict."