States Rights
A political powers are held for the state governments rather than the federal government
Real World Example
During the Age of Jackson (1830-1840), the concept of states' rights became a heated topic as people debated how much power state governments should have compared to the federal government. This was important because it responded to issues like the Nullification Crisis, where South Carolina wanted to ignore federal laws they disagreed with, highlighting tensions over who had ultimate authority. States' rights were crucial for those who believed local governments better understood and represented their citizens' needs. Today, states' rights still matter because they allow states to create laws reflecting their unique populations, like setting different education standards or healthcare policies. For example, some states have different minimum wage laws, which can affect how much people earn and their cost of living.