M'Culloch v. Maryland: Securing a Nation

Federalism—including its meanings and limits—remains one of the most contested principles in constitutional law. To fully understand its importance, we must turn to a landmark decision nearly two centuries old. M’Culloch v. Maryland (1819) is widely regarded as the Supreme Court’s most important and influential decision—one that essentially defined the nature and scope of federal authority and its relationship to the states. Mark Killenbeck’s sharply insightful study helps us understand why...