The japanese attack on pearl harbor began just before 8am on sunday, december 7, 1941. within a short time, five of eight battleships at pearl harbor were sunk or sinking, with the rest damaged. several other ships and most hawaii-based combat planes were also knocked out, and over 2,400 americans were dead. was the devastation of pearl harbor a result of american unpreparedness, or of superior japanese planning?

in mcculloch v. maryland (1819) the supreme court ruled that congress had implied powers under the necessary and proper clause of article i, section 8 of the constitution to create the second bank of the united states and that the state of maryland lacked the power to tax the bank.

gibbons v. ogden, (1824), was a landmark decision in which the supreme court of the united states held that the power to regulate interstate commerce, granted to congress by the commerce clause of the united states constitution, encompassed the power to regulate navigation.