Authority Quote by Andrew Johnson
“The sovereignty of the States is the language of the Confederacy and not the language of the Constitution. The latter contains the emphatic words. This Constitution and the laws of the United States which shall be made in pursuance thereof and all treaties made or which shall be made under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the land and the judges in every State shall be bound thereby, anything in the constitution or laws of any State to the contrary notwithstanding”
About This Quote
The quote contrasts the Confederacy’s language of state sovereignty with the Constitution’s supreme law, highlighting a legal conflict.
In simple terms: Confederacy emphasized state sovereignty; Constitution stresses supreme law.
Understand the tension between state and federal authority.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- legal analysis
- historical study
- education
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How does this tension affect modern governance?
- What lessons can be drawn for federalism?
Historical context may be contested.