Constitution Daily Blog
Article IV
The last time Congress created a new state
On March 12, 1959, Congress approved Hawaii for admission to the union as the 50th state, marking the last time statehood was…
On this day, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo is signed
On February 2, 1848 the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed in Mexico without President James K. Polk’s knowledge. The United…
The man who delivered California to the U.S., and was fired for it
On March 10, 1848, the Senate approved a treaty that led to California and much of the Southwest joining the United States. But…
The U.S. Supreme Court and Vigilantes
Are we becoming a nation of vigilantes? A recent opinion article by two legal scholars suggested the answer is yes.
On this day, Supreme Court refuses women right to vote
On March 29, 1875, in the case of Minor v. Happersett, the Supreme Court rejected to claim of Virginia Minor that under the 14th…
On this day, we added the 50th state
Hawaii joined the Union on this day in 1959, an act that remains historically significant but not without controversy.
The Alaska purchase: Folly or good fortune?
On this day in 1867, United States Secretary of State William Seward signed a deal acquiring Alaska, an agreement that was…
Marbury v. Madison: The Supreme Court claims its power
In an act of “judicial jujitsu,” the Supreme Court issued its decision in Marbury v. Madison on February 24, 1803,…
California three-state plan faces major legal, political hurdles
On Tuesday, California’s secretary of state announced that enough petition signatures were certified to place an initiative on…
State judges have been impeached, but very rarely
At least three elected officials in Pennsylvania have mentioned the topic of impeaching and removing five state supreme court…