McCulloch v. Maryland was a landmark decision made by the Supreme Court of the United States in 1819. The case was brought by James McCulloch, a cashier of the Bank of the United States, against the state of Maryland. The case concerned the power of the federal government to establish a bank and the power of the state to tax that bank. The decision made by the Supreme Court was crucial in establishing the supremacy of the federal government over the states.
McCulloch v. Maryland
The case of McCulloch v. Maryland began when the state of Maryland passed a law in 1818 that imposed a tax on all banks not chartered by the state. The Bank of the United States, which had been established by Congress in 1791, was not chartered by the state of Maryland. As a result, the state of Maryland began to impose the tax on the Bank of the United States. James McCulloch, the cashier of the Bank of the United States, refused to pay the tax and was sued by the state of Maryland.
Supreme Court’s Ruling
The case was eventually brought before the Supreme Court of the United States. In a unanimous decision, the Court ruled in favor of James McCulloch and the Bank of the United States. The Court held that the power of Congress to establish a bank was implied by the Constitution and that the state of Maryland had no power to tax the bank. The Court also held that Congress was not obligated to exercise its power in a particular manner and that the states had no power to interfere with the exercise of that power.
The decision in McCulloch v. Maryland was a landmark decision in establishing the supremacy of the federal government over the states. The decision established the principle of implied powers, which held that Congress had the power to do whatever was necessary and proper to carry out its enumerated powers. The decision also established the principle of state immunity, which held that the states could not interfere with the exercise of federal power.
The decision in McCulloch v. Maryland was a critical moment in the history of the United States. The ruling established the supremacy of the federal government and upheld the principle of implied powers. The decision ensured that the federal government had the power to act in the best interests of the nation and that the states would not be able to interfere with that power. The decision in McCulloch v. Maryland continues to be cited today in debates over the power of the federal government.
