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Reading Excerpts from South Dakota v. Dole | A Primary Source Close Read w/ BRI

What authority does Congress have over spending? To accompany our South Dakota v. Dole Homework Help video, Mary and Josh explore decision excerpts from the case to fully understand the majority and dissenting opinions. Is it constitutional if Congress only gives states funding for highways if they set the minimum drinking age to 21? To what extent should Congress protect the welfare of society, and where should the line be drawn?

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Lesson

South Dakota v. Dole (1987)

3 Activities

Case background and primary source documents concerning the Supreme Court case of South Dakota v. Dole. Dealing with the whether or not the federal government can attach conditions to money given to states in areas where the federal government has no enumerated power, this lesson asks students to evaluate the extent to which the Court's interpretation of the General Welfare Clause and attachment of conditions to federal funds given to states is consistent with the principle of federalism.