Which constitutional principle did the Court use to reject Maryland's tax on the national bank?
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Correct answer: Supremacy of federal law
The Court relied on the principle that valid federal law is supreme over conflicting state action. This principle comes from the Constitution's Supremacy Clause.
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More McCulloch v. Maryland questions
- What did Chief Justice Marshall mean by the phrase 'the power to tax involves the power to destroy'?
- How did McCulloch v. Maryland affect the balance of power between the federal government and the states?
- Which broader constitutional doctrine was strongly reinforced by McCulloch v. Maryland?
- Why did the Court reject a strict reading of Congress's powers in McCulloch v. Maryland?
- Which enumerated congressional powers helped justify the creation of the national bank?
- What was James McCulloch's role in the case?