What was the significance of the case Gibbons v. Ogden?

The case Gibbons v. Ogden is significant because it affirmed federal control over interstate commerce, establishing a broad interpretation of the Commerce Clause in the Constitution. This 1824 Supreme Court decision addressed a dispute between state-granted monopolies for steamboat operations on navigable waters and highlighted the necessity for a national standard governing interstate commerce. By ruling that the federal government held the authority to regulate interstate trade, the Court limited the states' ability to interfere with commerce that crossed state lines. This ruling fundamentally shifted the balance of power toward the federal government in matters of trade and economic regulation, ensuring that interstate commerce would be governed by federal law rather than competing state regulations. Thus, the Gibbons v. Ogden decision laid the groundwork for a unified economic policy and reinforced the notion that federal law supersedes state law in matters of interstate commerce.