Gibbons v. Ogden

Gibbons v. Ogden (1824) was a landmark Supreme Court case that clarified the federal government’s power to regulate interstate commerce. It involved two steamboat operators—Gibbons, who had a federal license, and Ogden, who held a state-granted monopoly. The court ruled that the Constitution gives Congress the authority to regulate all interstate trade, overriding state laws. This decision strengthened federal power, ensuring consistent regulation across states, and laid the foundation for future federal economic regulation.