Cases 1
Marbury v. Madison
This case establishes the Supreme Court's power of Judicial Review
Engel v. Vitale
The 1962 Supreme Court decision holding that state officials violated the First Amendment when they wrote a prayer to be recited by New York's schoolchildren.
Roe v. Wade
(1973) legalized abortion on the basis of a woman's right to privacy
Federalist (No.) 10
-Argued that the establishment of a representative democracy is effective against partisanship and factionalism
-Shows why founding fathers rejected direct democracy and factionalism (party politics)
Bill of Rights
-Series of amendments to the Constitution that guarantees individual freedoms and due process
McCulloch v. Maryland
Maryland was trying to tax the national bank and Supreme Court ruled that federal law was supreme law (above) the state law
Gideon v. Wainwright
A person who cannot afford an attorney may have one appointed by the government
Shaw v. Reno
NO racial gerrymandering; race cannot be the sole or predominant factor in redrawing legislative boundaries; majority-minority districts.
Brutus (No.) 1
-Argued that a free republic cannot govern over a country as large as the United States
-States that the government officers would control the people and abuse their power
Federalist (No.) 51
-Addresses means by which appropriate checks and balances can be created in government
-Advocates a separation of powers within the national government
Schneck v. United States
A 1919 decision upholding the conviction of a socialist who had urged young men to resist the draft during World War I. Justice Holmes declared that government can limit speech if the speech provokes a "clear and present danger" of substantive evils.
Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)
Students in an Iowa HS were suspended for wearing black armbands to protest the Vietnam War. Ruled that this suspension was unconstitutional, and that public school students do not "shed their constitutional rights at the schoolhouse door."
United States v. Lopez
1995 - The Commerce Clause of the Constitution does not give Congress the power to prohibit mere possession of a gun near a school, because gun possession by itself is not an economic activity that affects interstate commerce even indirectly.
(The) Declaration of Independence
-States the principles on which the American government is based
-Gave reasoning behind a separation from Britain
-Establishes that all people are created equal
Letter from a Birmingham Jail (Martin Luther King Jr.)
-Defends the strategy of nonviolent resistance to racism.
-States that people have a moral responsibility to break unjust laws
-Message: take direct action rather than waiting potentially forever for justice to come through the courts
Brown v. Board of Education
1954 - The Supreme Court overruled Plessy v. Ferguson, declared that racially segregated facilities are inherently unequal and ordered all public schools desegregated
New York Times v. US
The President argues that the publication of the Pentagon Papers is in violation of executive privilege. Result: The barring of the publication of these papers is in violation of the 1st A. Publication does not imperial the public.
McDonald v. Chicago
2010, States can not ban guns because of the right to bear arms and equal protection of the law.
(The) Articles of Confederation
-First written Constitution of the US
-Faults included:
1) Could not collect taxes
2) Could not regulate trade
3) Could not enforce laws
4) Needed approval from 9-13 states in order to pass laws
5) Amending the document had to have unanimous approval
6) No executive branch
7) No national court system
Federalist (No.) 70
-Argues the purpose of having a single executive (president) in government
-States that an executive brings the government both the energy of one person & the safety of an accountability to the people
Baker v. Carr
case that est. "One man, one vote." This decision created guidelines for drawing up congressional districts and guaranteed a more equitable system of representation to the citizens of each state in rural vs. urban areas.
Wisconsin v. Yoder
Amish children do not have to go to school until they are 16---they may stop after the 8th grade
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission
A 2010 landmark Supreme Court case that ruled that individuals, corporations, and unions could donate unlimited amounts of money to groups that make independent political expenditures.
(The) Constitution
-Supreme law of the US
-Contains seven articles & twenty-seven amendments
-Creates the framework of the US government; 3 branches.
Federalist (No.) 78
-Hamilton discusses the power of judicial review
-Argues that the federal courts have the duty to determine whether acts of Congress are constitutional
-Justifies the structure/function of the Judicial Branch by stating that the SC is "the least dangerous" and confirms life terms.