Question: What was the significance of the part of the Constitution that granted Congress power over economic decisions such as tariffs, interstate commerce, patents, bankruptcy rules, and weights and measures? It forced several states into bankruptcy by 1800 and greatly endangered the longevity of the new nation. It created the conditions necessary for a national economic market and contributed to a framework for American development. It angered slaveholders, who feared Congress would use these powers to limit slavery since the Constitution explicitly recognized slaves as property. It created an imbalance of power, which would be challenged and ultimately remedied by the creation of the Supreme Court in the nineteenth century. It angered George Washington and nearly led him to turn down the role of president and reject the new nation. Need Assignment Help?