Example research essay topic: Supreme Court Case One Hundred And Fifty - 1,965 words

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During the eighteen hundreds how did the simple transportation device of steamboats affect the political makeup in the United States government? Throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries the use of steamboats grew heavily throughout the nation of the United States, as well as world wide. During this time the United States was in desperate need of a new sufficient source of transportation, the steamboat allowed a large expansion of the growing nation, through its many natural waterways, as well as man made canals that were soon constructed. Serving as a great tool for businesses and the development of the United States economically and socially, these vessels also contributed to the evolution of the government and its politics. Becoming one of the fastest sources of transportation, the economical competition to control such a gold mine at the time was very high; and with such conflicts it is not unexpected that the issue of steamboat operations reached the powers of the Supreme Court.

Here the controversial issues of a monopolistic power existing in the New York state region brought up turmoil, in the conflict between state licenses such as the one issued to the Fulton Company and federal licenses, which were to be resolved in the Supreme Court case of Odgen v Gibbons (1824). The issue of the constitutionality of the decision of the court as well as the ability of the steamboat to influence the politics of the United States in this era will be addressed. In order to properly observe the influences upon the politics at the time, the Supreme Court case as well as safety issues will be assessed and looked at. The steam powered sailing vessel was originally created in the early seventeen hundreds, by a French man named Denis Pain. Yet his inventions were no where close to efficient and needed many mandatory modifications that came over time, with the aid of James Watt and Robert Fulton. It is believed by many people that Robert Fulton was the first to invent the steamboat, although he was truly the one to create the first competent vessel, designed and created well enough to make decent voyages, including fighting currents.

In the oncoming future, there were still plenty of modifications to be made, but Fulton along with Robert R. Livingston brought their new steam ship plans to the United States from France; after Livingston obtained a New York state steam boat monopoly, in hope to control the water ways of one of the largest ports of the time. In 1798 Livingston received this monopoly allowing him the exclusive ability of navigating all boats that might be propelled by steam, on all waters within the territory, or jurisdiction of the State, for the term of twenty years. Not only did this act give Fulton and Livingston the complete control of navigating the waters of New York State but the ability to also seize any other vessel operated by others with out the license that only these two men could distribute as well as the collecting of a fine for the penalty of operating a vessel against the law. The partnership and monopolistic control of Livingston and Fulton began on the maiden voyage of their one hundred and fifty foot steamship known as the Clermont on August 18, 1807. It was an immediate success as the partners were not only able to meet their expectations of completing the voyage of one hundred and fifty miles, from New York City to Albany but they were able to exceed their plans traveling at a near average speed of five miles per hour, making the trip in only thirty two hours, compared to the usual four day trip in any other vessel.

Because of the great success Fulton received a patent for the design and construction of his steamship. The power that Fulton and Livingston were soon able to obtain continually increased, as their business expanded with more vessels under their license and the need for more transportation. The monopoly that they controlled challenged all other shipping companies, as they had no way to compete against these faster and larger water vessels. The first competition, and disruption of the law occurred in 1810, where such steam powered boats were introduced to the waters of the Hudson river and the New York region which the Fulton-Livingston monopoly controlled. As a result theses attempts of other private companies to compete with this monopolistic control were promptly brought to court to immediately cease the operations of the boats even in just the construction phase. Livingston and Fulton had to trouble enforcing their license, as the distributor of the actually license, being New York State also strongly enforced it, where other attempts at competing companies were considered as rogues, rascals, law breakers and ingrates.

The monopolistic powers given to Livingston and Fulton are very controversial not only because they possessed the full control of the water ways existing in the New York State area which also included territory also claimed by the state of New Jersey as their land borders were met by the same water ways that were controlled by Fulton and Livingston. The New Jersey government stated that they should have the right to the waters inappropriately given to Livingston and Fulton; as they were willing to compromise with a plan to divide the bodies of water down the middle, where both the New Jersey shore and New York shore had opposite coastlines. The Fulton-Livingston company combined with New York State denied the compromising idea to divide the water ways. Resulting in a battle of new laws and commerce; as New Jersey increased their system of law protecting its citizens to operate steam powered vessels and to counter act these movements New York tighten its enforcements of the monopolistic power of the Fulton-Livingston company, as the company also continued to win lawsuits against operators of steamboats with out their license.

By eighteen twenty it reached a point where two neighboring states became rivals in commerce and law, as they battled the authority of each other, where each states individual laws directly conflicted upon each others rule. With increasing conflicts the ideas of a state to state war began to develop, demonstrating that only the Supreme Court could resolve such a matter in the case known as Odgen v. Gibbons. The controversial issue of navigation rights of the Hudson River and nearby bodies of water was in action to be resolved through the process and decisions of the Supreme Court, the Fulton-Livingston Company combined with New York State had a large task to win over the favor of the Supreme Court. To help assist in their battle Mr. Oakley along with Mr.

Emmett fought on Fulton's personal counsel in the supreme court. In order to support Fulton-Livingston company and the decisions passed by the state of New York Mr. Oakley once stated that The power to make it, therefore, must be in the State. The state law was, in fact, only a regulation of the internal trade and right of navigation within the territorial limits of the State. The power to regulate this was exclusively in the State. This statement which is obviously bias in favor of the Fulton-Livingston Company as well as the actions made by New York state is made, in attempt to prove a point that the given monopolistic power is fully constitutional.

Mr. Oakley also later refers to the ability of a state to distribute private land grants, relating it to the granting of a monopolistic power of New York States water ways in attempts to prove the actions of his parties are lawful. During the decision making process, it is mandatory that the Supreme Court hears both sides fairly and makes their decision upon their own interpretation of the constitution and where the certain case falls in relation to it. According to Chief Justices John Marshals decision: The act demonstrates the opinion of Congress that steamboats may be enrolled and licensed in common with vessels using sails. They are, of course, entitled to the same privileges and can no more be restrained from navigating waters and entering ports, which are free to such vessels, than if they were wafted on their voyage by the winds instead of being propelled by the agency of fire.

In his adjudication Marshall finds there to be no difference between operating a steam powered vessel compared to a sailing vessel such as a sloop or schooner. Resulting in a decision against the Fulton-Livingston Company and the actions of the State of New York, which not only affected the region around New York and the Hudson Valley area but, it soon promoted interstate commerce and a large boom in the economy. The settlement of the Supreme Court known as Odgen v Gibbons in 1820 which perhaps could have been appointed a more suitable name, as this conflict escalated into a Supreme Court matter, it no longer possessed many things dealing with the actual steamboat operators themselves, which is why the name of this case is so misleading. The true goal of this case was to solve the increasing controversial conflict existing between the state of New Jersey and the state of New York and the economic moguls Cornelius Vanderbilt and the monopoly owners Fulton and Livingston. In the settlement of this case the Supreme Court concurred that the rights to the waterways are given to anyone, no matter what vessel they choose to use; after deciding that the federal law is superior to state law and the water ways are controlled by the federal government. The steamboat is most widely recognized in affecting the political issues dealing with monopolistic powers, as well as the debate of federal law v.

state law. Although Fulton created the newly efficient steamship many problems were soon found over time. The steam boat became an unsafe source of transportation as the expected life span of a single vessel was no to exceed four years. Perhaps the dangers of steamboats did no occur strictly from mechanical errors, as racing became a large threat to the safety of the vessel. It became nearly a sporting event, to make a new record trip or even race side by side against another companys steamboat.

Customarily bets were made against other steamships as they raced up river; and during these races the captains of these vessels worried more on be the fastest then getting there safely, causing submerged or floating objects hard to see, and even if they were noticed it was usually too late to avoid them. Racing was not the only cause of danger; steamboats are named after their source of power and require a surplus amount of steam and pressure in order to operate, which is created in the ships boiler, using hot coals to heat water. During this process there is many sources of error, such as the explosion of boilers, but even the smallest fires were incredibly tough to extinguish, due to the fact that steamboats were made almost completely out of wood allowing such small fires to spread rapidly. It took a gross amount of casualties and loss of property before congress actually did act upon the safety of steam boats, in fear of hurting the business. In order to protect customers of the steamboats the federal organization known as the Steamboat Inspection Service was created.

Although the steamboat appears to serve as only a source of transportation; it served a very important role in the growing political scene of the nineteenth and twentieth century. Demonstrating federal law power over states law power as well as destroying monopolies and becoming a large part of the federally created organization, designed to specifically to protect the well being of the nation and its people as well as their property.

Research essay sample on Supreme Court Case One Hundred And Fifty