The concept of federalism in the United States is an essential component of American politics. It defines how power is distributed between the federal and state governments. Various cases debate the interpretation of federalism and the extent of power each government holds. These cases are but are not limited to Gibbons v. Ogden (1824), United States v. E.C. Knight Company (1895), Slaughter-House Cases (1873), Katzenbach v. McClung (1964), U.S v. Lopez (1995), U.S v. Morrison (2000), and Gonzales v. Raich (2005). In Gibbons v. Ogden (1824), Robert R. Livingston and Robert Fulton had a monopoly over navigation on waters from a New York state law within state jurisdiction. Livingston was a Founding Father and Fulton built the first working steamboat.…show more content… Specifically, the case started when the E.C. Knight Company controlled the American Sugar Refining Company. In a short two years, the company had control of about 98 percent of the sugar industry. In 1890, Congress passed the Sherman Anti-Trust Act in hopes of limiting the money and economic power in the hands of only a couple individuals. The act prevented companies from expanding by making it illegal to monopolize any part of trade or commerce. President Grover Cleveland and Congress sued the E.C. Knight Company under the Sherman Antitrust Act. The Supreme Court ruled 8 to 1 for the E.C. Knight Company, deciding that the Act was constitutional but it did not apply to manufacturing. In the court’s eyes, manufacturing was not considered commerce. This case limited the power of the federal government, which was one of the firsts in regards to the commerce clause. U.S. v. Morrison (2000) is a unique case regarding the Commerce Clause and the Fourteenth Amendment. Christy Brzonkala, a student at Virginia Polytechnic Institute in 1994, was allegedly raped by Antonio Morrison and James Crawford, two varsity football players at Virginia Polytechnic Institute. The university temporarily suspended Morrison and Crawford, which in return, Brzonkala and the United States filed a complaint against them under the Violence Against Women Act. The Violence Against Women Act of 1994 also provided a federal civil remedy for victims affected by gender-motivated violence. Morrison, Crawford, and Virginia Polytechnic Institute claimed that the Violence Against Women Act’s provisions were unconstitutional. The District Court and Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals sided with Morrison, claiming that Congress did not have enough authority to make profit from this act under the Commerce Clause or Fourteenth Amendment. In a 5-4 opinion, Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist delivered the court’s decision on
