The Ultimate Umpire
Clue: This 1803 case established the Supreme Court's power to declare laws unconstitutional.
What is Marbury v. Madison?
Clue: In 1857, the Court ruled that this enslaved man could not sue for his freedom because he was not considered a citizen.
Who is Dred Scott?
Clue: This 1896 case famously established the "separate but equal" doctrine.
What is Plessy v. Ferguson?
This 1954 case completely overturned the "separate but equal" doctrine in public schools.
What is Brown v. Board of Education?
Clue: This case proved that even the President of the United States is not above the law.
What is United States v. Nixon?
Clue: It officially established this power, which allows the judicial branch to check the legislative and executive branches.
What is judicial review?
Clue: The Court ruled that enslaved people were legally considered this, meaning they could be taken into any territory.
What is property?
Clue: Homer Plessy was arrested for refusing to leave a dedicated car on this type of transportation.
What is a train? (or railroad car)
Clue: The Court ruled that segregated schools inherently violate this specific clause of the 14th Amendment.
What is the Equal Protection Clause?
Clue: President Nixon tried to withhold evidence by claiming this special presidential power of confidentiality.
What is executive privilege?
Clue: This section of government makes the laws, which the Supreme Court can now declare unconstitutional.
What is the legislative branch? (or Congress)
Clue: This 1820 congressional compromise, which banned slavery in certain northern territories, was declared unconstitutional by this ruling.
What is the Missouri Compromise?
Clue: The "separate but equal" doctrine allowed states to legally enforce this practice of keeping racial groups apart.
What is segregation?
Clue: This civil rights organization led the legal fight for the Brown family.
What is the NAACP?
Clue: The Court ordered Nixon to hand over these specific items recorded in the Oval Office.
What are the Watergate tapes?
Clue: The case began because this outgoing president tried to pack the courts with federal judges right before leaving office.
Who is John Adams?
Clue: This amendment, passed after the Civil War, directly overturned the Dred Scott decision by granting citizenship to all people born in the U.S.
What is the 14th Amendment?
Clue: These state and local laws enforcing racial segregation in the South multiplied rapidly following this ruling.
What are Jim Crow laws?
Clue: The ruling stated that segregation in public education creates a feeling of this among African American children.
What is inferiority?
Clue: This legal document was issued by the special prosecutor to force Nixon to give up the evidence.
What is a subpoena?
Clue: This foundational document was declared by the Court to be the supreme law of the land, overriding any conflicting laws.
What is the U.S. Constitution?
Clue: This major American war broke out just four years after the controversial Dred Scott decision.
What is the Civil War?
Clue: This amendment's Equal Protection Clause was argued by Plessy, but the Court rejected his argument in 1896.
What is the 14th Amendment?
Clue: Rather than a split decision, the judges voted this way, with a perfect 9-0 score, to show total agreement.
What is unanimous?
Clue: Shortly after the Supreme Court ruled unanimously against him, Nixon took this historic action.
What is resigning? (or quitting)