Honors Theses

Date of Award

2012

Document Type

Undergraduate Thesis

Department

History

First Advisor

Sheila Skemp

Relational Format

Dissertation/Thesis

Abstract

The federal court system under the United States Constitution varied substantially from the English judicial system. This thesis will explore the extent to which the Court of Session, Scotland’s highest court, influenced the form of the United States federal court system. First, the thesis will examine the Acts of Union of 1707, the contract binding the kingdoms of England and Scotland into one political body. The language of the Acts of Union, specifically the language regarding the form and power of the Court of Session, will serve to draw a parallel with the United States Constitution. Next, the thesis will explore the nature of the judiciary in the Early Republic, especially the purpose of the framers of the Constitution and the role, organization, and individuals of the pre-Marshall Supreme Court. Here, the thesis will focus especially on the views and writings of James Wilson, an original Associate Justice of the Supreme Court who was bom and educated Finally, the thesis will investigate McCulloch v Maryland 17 U.S. 316 (1819) and the establishment of, and objections, particularly those of Virginians Thomas Ritchie and Spencer Roane, to, federal supremacy, and the court’s defense of that supremacy, in the United States of America.

Accessibility Status

Searchable text

Share

COinS
 
 

To view the content in your browser, please download Adobe Reader or, alternately,
you may Download the file to your hard drive.

NOTE: The latest versions of Adobe Reader do not support viewing PDF files within Firefox on Mac OS and if you are using a modern (Intel) Mac, there is no official plugin for viewing PDF files within the browser window.