States' Rights and American Federalism: A Documentary History (Primary Documents in American History and Contemporary Issues) [Hardcover]

Frederick D. Drake (Editor), Lynn R. Nelson (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0313305730 | ISBN-13: 978-0313305733 | Publication Date: November 30, 1999

The debate over states' rights versus federalism in America is one that has raged since our country's founding. Arguments over the interpretation of the Constitution and the meaning of power and its distribution among the states' governments echoes in governmental chambers even today. Students can trace the history and development of issues surrounding this debate, as well as the reactions to them, through this unique and comprehensive collection of over 65 primary documents. Court cases, opinion pieces, speeches and many other documents bring to life the controversies surrounding the debate. Explanatory introductions to documents aid users in understanding the various arguments put forth in deliberations over different governmental matters, while illuminating the significance of each document. Drake and Nelson trace the origins and changes in the nature of states' rights and American federalism using carefully chosen documents to reflect the fact that the tension and interaction between the states' governments and the national government define the ideals and provide the means for realistic achievement of these ideals. Documents can be easily accessed through five different sections, each section exploring a specific period in history and contributing to the understanding of the debate. The introductory and explanatory text help readers understand the nature of the conflicts, the issues being contested, the social and cultural pressures that shaped each debate, and the manner in which the passions of individual government officials, justices, and our presidents affected the development of policies concerning states' rights and federalism.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“The true value of this work centers on the fact that it helps bring to light those historical documents that no doubt represent significant contributions to our nation's history but remain in the shadows of those few documents found in almost every text book published in U.S. history. This book is highly recommended.”–American Reference Books Annual

About the Author

FREDERICK D. DRAKE is Assistant Professor of History and Director of Undergraduate Programs in History and Social Science Education at Illinois State University.

LYNN R. NELSON is Associate Professor of Social Studies Education and Director of the James F. Ackerman Center for Democratic Citizenship at Purdue University.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 264 pages
• Publisher: Greenwood Press (November 30, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0313305730
• ISBN-13: 978-0313305733
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,760,648 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Solid Content, but Lackluster Commentary, December 15, 2007

By 

R. Setliff - See all my reviews
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This review is from: States' Rights and American Federalism: A Documentary History (Primary Documents in American History and Contemporary Issues) (Hardcover)

~States' Rights and American Federalism: A Documentary History~ is a compilation of primary source documents from the early years of the republic to the antebellum days leading up to the Civil War to the twentieth-century when states' rights whithered and national power swelled. It gives the reader context on the doctrine of states' rights and its continued relevance in this day and age. The book is troubled by commentary biased too much into the nationalist persuasion, in my humble opinion.

Federalist #28 declared, "It may safely be received as an axiom in our political system, that the State governments will, in all possible contingencies, afford complete security against invasions of the public liberty by the national authority. Projects of usurpation cannot be masked under pretenses so likely to escape the penetration of select bodies of men, as of the people at large. The legislatures will have better means of information. They can discover the danger at a distance; and possessing all the organs of civil power, and the confidence of the people, they can at once adopt a regular plan of opposition, in which they can combine all the resources of the community. They can readily communicate with each other in the different States, and unite their common forces for the protection of their common liberty." Here we have states' rights doctrine as it was distilled in the Tenth Amendment, which came as afterthought in 1791 to secure the Constitution against loose construction. The federal government was one of enumerated powers, and the states possessed the vast residuary powers not delegated. In the contests over the scope of federal power, states' rights doctrine keyed prominently into the great political contests and debates of American history.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Substance + Analysis = Success, August 20, 2001

By 

"maladyrancor" (Vienna) - See all my reviews

This review is from: States' Rights and American Federalism: A Documentary History (Primary Documents in American History and Contemporary Issues) (Hardcover)

A very well-organized book concerning the battle between states and the federal government. With well-chosen excerpts of the most important historical documents and unbiased analysis, this book succeeds in providing a detailed history of the origins of the conflict. Perfect for debate or as a history book supplement, this book capitulates an omniscient understanding for this particular issue, common in the entire series.