ABSTRACT
Defining the term ‘federalism’ has taxed the minds of academics for centuries. Since the earliest examples of non-sovereign collections of states (the earliest known example being perhaps the Mitanni federation of the 15th century BCE), scholars have attempted to define this form of government. The modern federalist debate can be dated to a much later event, however. The American Revolution and the explicit acceptance of the federal concept in the United States Constitution marks a watershed in the discussion of federal government. It is from this date that the modern discussion of federalism can be traced, and its impact on the study of federalism is still evident today.
