Changes

What does it mean?  It means that [[Congress]] overrides every state law and state [[constitution]].  The federal [[government]] reigns supreme.  What it says, goes.

What does it mean?  It means that [[Congress]] overrides every state law and state [[constitution]].  The federal [[government]] reigns supreme.  What it says, goes.

In our history, states have sometimes defied congressional law.  [[James Madison]] and [[Thomas Jefferson]] themselves started the nullification doctrine, declaring that a state could nullify as unconstitutional an act of [[Congress]] (in their case, the Alien and Sedition Acts in 1798).  After all, what is a state to do if [[Congress]] and the [[Supreme Court]] team up against it?  In 1809, the [[Pennsylvania]] legislature ordered the state militia to prevent a federal marshal from serving a writ (order) that it felt was unconstitutional.  The federal officers simply arrested the state militia, but [[James Madison]] pardoned them.   

In our history, states have sometimes defied congressional law.  [[James Madison]] and [[Thomas Jefferson]] themselves started the nullification doctrine, declaring that a state could nullify as unconstitutional an act of [[Congress]] (in their case, the Alien and [[Sedition Act]]s in 1798).  After all, what is a state to do if [[Congress]] and the [[Supreme Court]] team up against it?  In 1809, the [[Pennsylvania]] legislature ordered the state militia to prevent a federal marshal from serving a writ (order) that it felt was unconstitutional.  The federal officers simply arrested the state militia, but [[James Madison]] pardoned them.   

Later, nullification doctrine led to the [[Civil War]] because it justified secession.  As recently as 1956, southern states invoked the doctrine to reject the [[Supreme Court]] ruling of Brown v. Board of Education (1954), which desegregated schools.  The federal [[government]] enforced that ruling over objections by southern states.

Later, nullification doctrine led to the [[Civil War]] because it justified secession.  As recently as 1956, southern states invoked the doctrine to reject the [[Supreme Court]] ruling of [[Brown v. Board of Education]] (1954), which desegregated schools.  The federal [[government]] enforced that ruling over objections by southern states.

Some states, like [[West Virginia]], defer to federal law in their own state constitutions.  Article 1, Section 1 of the West Virginia Constitution provides:

Some states, like [[West Virginia]], defer to federal law in their own state constitutions.  Article 1, Section 1 of the West Virginia Constitution provides: