Federal Government Expansion

Throughout American history the size and power of the federal government has been continually debated. This is because there are concerns that if it becomes too big it could have an impact on the scope of authority reserved for the states and stifle civil liberties. However, despite these worries the federal government has continued to expand its power. To fully understand what is happening requires focusing on four events from the Civil War to the Civil Rights era that highlight these changes. This will be accomplished by focusing on how these developments affected the political, social and economic landscape. Together, these elements will illustrate the way these transformations occurred during this time frame.

The Fourteenth Amendment

The Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified in 1868. This basically negated the Supreme Court's Dred Scott v. Stanford decision in 1857. As they stated that African-Americans are not...
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