Significance of McCulloch v. Maryland
The significance of the case is that it is one of the first and most important Supreme Court cases on federal power. It dealt with an issue between the states and the national government. In Article I, Section 8, it gave the federal government the power to create the bank based off of the Commerce Clause and the Necessary and Proper Clause. Chief Justice John Marshall said, "Although, among the enumerated powers of the government, we did not find the word 'bank,'... we find the great powers to lay and collect taxes; to borrow money; to regulate commerce...". Marshall had the most influence on the decision of the judges because he made some great points that were based off of what is written in the Constitution. The second National Bank was established to help control the states in the amount of unregulated money they made.
This is also one of Marshall's most important decisions he has made for the expansion of the federal power. One of the many questions that this case posed was whether or not the federal government holds sovereign power over the states. People questioned if Congress establishing the bank was constitutional. That would then lead to people asking if the individual states had the right to tax the bank or even ban it all together from their state. The Supreme Court looked it over and, by using the Elastic clause, Commerce Clause, Supremacy Clause, and the Necessary and Proper Clause, all Supreme Court judges including Chief Justice Marshall sided with McCulloch. They also disproved of the idea of the states taxing the banks because they would then be taxing the federal government. Marshall noted that, “the power to tax involves the power to destroy."
Included in all the things Chief Justice Marshall pointed out, he also said, "But it may with great reason be contended, that a government, entrusted with such ample powers... must also be entrusted with ample means for their execution. The power being given, it is the interest of the nation to facilitate its execution.... ". With all the things Marshall noted to the rest of the judges, he made their decision a whole lot easier which is why it was a unanimous decision in favor of McCulloch. Everything Maryland did went against the Constitution in more ways than one.
Sources:
<http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=21>
<http://www.streetlaw.org/en/landmark/cases/mcculloch_v_maryland>
<http://www.streetlaw.org/en/Page/364/Background_Summary__Questions_>
This is also one of Marshall's most important decisions he has made for the expansion of the federal power. One of the many questions that this case posed was whether or not the federal government holds sovereign power over the states. People questioned if Congress establishing the bank was constitutional. That would then lead to people asking if the individual states had the right to tax the bank or even ban it all together from their state. The Supreme Court looked it over and, by using the Elastic clause, Commerce Clause, Supremacy Clause, and the Necessary and Proper Clause, all Supreme Court judges including Chief Justice Marshall sided with McCulloch. They also disproved of the idea of the states taxing the banks because they would then be taxing the federal government. Marshall noted that, “the power to tax involves the power to destroy."
Included in all the things Chief Justice Marshall pointed out, he also said, "But it may with great reason be contended, that a government, entrusted with such ample powers... must also be entrusted with ample means for their execution. The power being given, it is the interest of the nation to facilitate its execution.... ". With all the things Marshall noted to the rest of the judges, he made their decision a whole lot easier which is why it was a unanimous decision in favor of McCulloch. Everything Maryland did went against the Constitution in more ways than one.
Sources:
<http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=21>
<http://www.streetlaw.org/en/landmark/cases/mcculloch_v_maryland>
<http://www.streetlaw.org/en/Page/364/Background_Summary__Questions_>