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Download Week 2 DQ 1 Powers of the Federal Government Many Americans
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Week 2 DQ 1 Powers of the Federal Government Many Americans today believe the federal government has acquired too much power, size, and influence in the nation’s domestic affairs. Throughout U.S. history, a tension has existed regarding what powers the federal government can assume and what powers should be left to the states. Review the text of the Constitution for evidence about the relationship the document establishes between national and state governments. Then review the history of the United States through the Civil War for evidence of how that relationship worked in progress, and changed over time. What major controversies during this time period raised questions about the proper relationship between the state and federal governments? How did proponents and opponents of state sovereignty defend their respective positions? How did the question of slavery intermix with the question of states’ rights? When responding to the above questions, draw from three of the following documents: a. South Carolina exposition and protest b. President Jackson's proclamation regarding nullification, December 10, 1832 c. The Kentucky resolution – Alien and sedition acts d. Abraham Lincoln: Inaugural address, March 4, 1861 e. Declaration of the immediate causes which induce and justify the secession of South Carolina from the federal union Federal vs. State Around the time when America was born, several questions existed regarding the government, including fights and concerns about the power, effectiveness, rights as well as whether or not federal government should have the upper hand over state or if the state should possess the power to protest against federal law, and where the decision making lines should be drawn. Several fears linked with such debates were because of separation from English reign that instigated the concerns of precisely how much authority government should possess over the state. Similar to today's backdrop, the Republicans and Federalists fought with each other regarding the preciseness of the rule of the government as well as what should be considered as just with the liberty in focus, and equality among the newly formed nation. A number of controversies around this period which made way for questions regarding appropriate relationship within the federal governments and the state are given below. One similar case was the one John C. Calhoun presented with the protest against the Tariff of Abominations or Tariff of 1828. “ Exposition of Calhoun at the time of nullification crisis stated that the state possessed the power for rejecting federal law which was adopted later by South Carolina, efficiently nullifying such tariffs and voting for constructing an army of its own. Calhoun wrote that “to preserve a branch of the industry at the cost of another one was unequal, unconstitutional, calculated and oppressive for corrupting the general public and damage the country's liberty (Calhoun, 1828).” Another major controversy which was an act of sovereignty for defending respective positions took place as South Carolina withdrew its name from Federal Union to the Confederate States of America - whose immediate causes were declared, inducing and justifying South Carolina's secession from Federal Union. Debating on the reason, they should and could act so due to the fact that United States' constitution lay down by Federal Government had looked down at rights of states through indifference of wishes and opinions of the similar states which held slaves (Goldman, 2008).” Yet there were a number of controversies at this changing era of development for the newly formed nation. The war would commence soon as north fight the south, brother would fight brother and neighbor would fight neighbor for abolishing slavery. As a result, at the time of the Inaugural address of Abraham Lincoln's on March 18 of 1861, constitutions rights were upheld for maintaining property while slaves were seen as property. Though he is referred to as the lead person behind abolishing slavery, it is pretty clear through his address he did sway any way- neither in favor nor against, but it stated that the majority would reign oven as changes took place. “Clearly the main concept of secession is in the very essence regarding anarchy. A majority was being held in restraint through constitutional limitations and checks, and they were always being changed with deliberate alterations of popular sentiments and opinions, is the sole true sovereign as far as free people are concerned ( Peters, G. Woolley, J.T., 1999-2008).” Lincoln stated these with a view to putting the Southern states' focus from losing control over slaves to induction of the republican president. With southern states consisting of agricultural economy depending highly on labor from the slave to harvest and grow crops, they were afraid that the abolitionist view of the northern states would threaten their livelihoods. It was a true fear as in 1854; the U.S. Congress approved the Kansas-Nebraska Act that opened new territories for slavery through asserting popular sovereignty's rule over the edict of the congress. Forces in favor and against of slavery fought violently at "Bleeding Kansas”, which was followed by the primary shots of American Civil War in South Carolina’s Charleston in Fort Sumter on April 12th of 1861, (David, B. 1996-2013).” The Kansas-Nebraska Act came with a true provision of sovereignty that have to be upheld with the Constitution in mind. Nonetheless, “Following a rule from the Supreme Court that the case of Dred Scott (1857) affirmed the legality behind slavery across the territories, John Brown, an abolitionist's Harper's Ferry raid in 1859 persuaded more southerners regarding northern neighbors of theirs will to destroy the "peculiar institution" which provided sustenance to the people. Election of Lincoln in November, 1860 was a final straw as in three months of this event, seven southern states— Florida, South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Texas, Alabama and Louisiana --had declared their secession from United States (David, B. 1996-2013)”. References: Benedict, M.L. (2006). The blessings of liberty: A concise history of the Constitution of the United States (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Wadsworth Publishing. Calhoun, J. (1828), South Carolina Exposition and Protest, retrieved from: http://www.scribd.com/doc/34927191/John-C-Calhoun-South-Carolina-Exposition-andProtest David , B. (1996-2013),American Civil War, Retrieved from http://www.history.com/topics/american-civil-war Goldman, L. Law Library, (2008), Confederate States of America - Declaration of the Immediate Causes Which Induce and Justify the Secession of South Carolina from the Federal Union Retrieved from: http://avalon.law.yale.edu/19th_century/csa_scarsec.asp Peters, G and Woolley, J.T., (1999-2008), The Abraham Lincoln: "Inaugural Address, March 4, 1861,"The American Presidency Project” Retrieved From http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=25818.