"[The Congress shall have Power] To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes"
Article I, Section 8, Clause 3
Supreme Court Interpretation
"Commerce among the states"
Means only direct interstate trade - the actual buying and selling of goods across state lines
Landmark Case
United States v. E.C. Knight (1895)
The Court ruled that manufacturing (sugar refining) was NOT commerce, even if products were later sold across state lines. Congress could not regulate a sugar monopoly because "commerce succeeds to manufacture, and is not a part of it."
💡The same 16 words have been used to justify completely opposite outcomes - from blocking child labor laws to requiring wheelchair ramps in local businesses.
What This Meant for the time period
Federal government had very limited power to regulate business
Child labor laws struck down as unconstitutional
Workplace safety regulations blocked
States had primary authority over economic activity