Gibbons V. Ogden Case Study

Summary of the case: In 1824 a primary mode of transportation across waters was the steam boat. These were boats powered by steam engines. Aaron Ogden would travel back and forth from New Jersey to New York. The state of New York gave Aaron an exclusive license to run ferry boats between the states. Thomas Gibbons was also a steam boat operator who ran two steamboat ferries on the same route. Ogden filed a lawsuit against Gibbons. Ogden stated that, he was given exclusive rights to operating the route. Gibbons responded back that he could use the route because of the 1793 act of Congress relating to adjusting trade on the ocean. In 1743 James Fitch patented the steam boat engine. Steamboats were used to carry people and goods from place …show more content…
When John Marshall was 20 years old he was inspired by George Washington to join the Revolutionary War. He was made a lieutenant with a state militia called Culpeper Minutemen. In 1780, he began his first own law practice defending clients against British laws. In 1800 he held the position of Secretary of State. John Marshall was the Chief Justice in the Ogden vs. Gibbons court case. John Marshall became the fourth Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in 1801, serving until he passed in 1835. He was responsible for establishing the Supreme Court’s role in the federal …show more content…
Ogden was concerning. I agreed with both sides of the court case. I believed that Ogden had the right to be the only traveling steamboat from New York to New Jersey, because he had a license. I also believed in Gibbons because of the Commerce Clause that states commerce meaning traffic. The delivering of the goods are followed by the Commerce Clause that states there can be traffic, permitting more than one steamboat to deliver the people and goods. The license was a good idea to secure your business, but the law should not prevent a competing business. Even though I do not own a steamboat and bring people and goods to those in cities, this case can still relate to me now. The idea of competing businesses is still used today. In our world of businesses we have competition between brands all around us asking for us to buy their product, just like the steamboat workers would ask the people of New York and New Jersey. Competition is not only used between businesses but also in school, sports, hobbies, clubs, etc.. The idea of licensing also will effect on me now