Serving as chief justice of the United States from 1801 to 1835, John Marshall well deserves to be known as the “Great Chief Justice.” He profoundly enhanced the reputation and status of the Supreme Court, which went from being the weakest branch of the federal government to being the primary interpreter of the federal Constitution and one of the most respected legal institutions in the nation. Under his leadership, the Court made major steps in advancing the constitutional growth of the United States and in clarifying the nature of the Union, which is only tentatively outlined in the text of the Constitution itself. In addition, Marshall and his colleagues were able to shape American public and private law to facilitate economic stability and to create what modern economists term a common market. These constitutional changes were essential to the prosperity of the infant United States and in the enhancement of the nation’s international standing in a highly competitive commercial world.