This work investigates the historical origins and ongoing legal implications of the states' rights doctrine within the framework of the United States Constitution. Editor Alpheus Thomas Mason compiles a selection of primary source documents and analytical essays to examine the tension between federal authority and state sovereignty. The text situates the Antifederalist perspective as a foundational element of American political discourse, tracing its evolution from the ratification debates to contemporary policy disputes.

Scholars and students of constitutional law frequently cite this collection as a useful primer for understanding the intellectual roots of American federalism. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which provides a rigorous look at how historical debates continue to influence modern legal interpretations.