A landmark Supreme Court case of 1886, this legal challenge centered on the power of states to regulate interstate commerce. It arose from actions taken by the state of Illinois to control railroad rates affecting goods transported across state lines. The core issue was whether a state could regulate a portion of an interstate shipment that passed through its territory.
The significance of the ruling lies in its limitation of state power over commerce that crossed state boundaries. The Court decided that states could only regulate commerce within their own borders and that interstate commerce was the exclusive domain of the federal government. This decision effectively overturned a previous ruling and paved the way for stronger federal regulation of railroads and other industries operating across state lines. This fostered a more unified national economy and addressed issues of monopolistic practices.
