Foundational Documents
This document's primary focus is on the role of the judicial branch in the federal government.
What is Federalist no. 78?
This part was added to the Constitution during the Constitutional Convention in order to appease the Anti-Federalists.
What is the Bill of Rights?
In this case, the SCOTUS ruling overturned Plessy v. Furguson, stating that the "separate but equal" doctrine violated the 14th amendment.
What is Brown v Board of Education?
In this case, the SCOTUS ruling expanded the definition of free speech under the 1st Amendment by explicitly protecting the symbolic speech of high school students.
What is Tinker v Des Moines?
This document focuses on the importance of peaceful protest and the moral obligation to break unjust laws.
What is MLK's Letter from Birmingham Jail?
This founding document was the precursor to the U.S. Constitution
What are the Articles of Confederation?
This part of the Constitution outlines the creation and role of the branch of government that can be described as "bicameral".
What is Article I?
This SCOTUS case established the practice of judicial review.
What is Marbury v Madison?
In this case, SCOTUS ruled against the federal government, because the fed govt had not met the burden of proof for prior restraint against the publishing of government documents.
What is New York Times v United States?
These 2 SCOTUS cases were both about legislative redistricting, using the 14th amendment as their justification.
What are Baker v Carr and Shaw v Reno?
In this document, Madison wrote that "Liberty is to faction what air is to fire, an aliment without which it instantly expires. But it would not be a less folly to abolish liberty, which is essential to political life because it nourishes faction, than it would be to wish the annihilation of air, which is essential to animal life, because it imparts to fire its destructive agency".
What is Federalist No. 10?
This Constitutional amendment contains what is referred to as the "equal protection clause".
What is the 14th Amendment?
This case incorporated the 2nd amendment right to bear arms to all levels of government, including state and local governments.
What is Mcdonald v Chicago?
The SCOTUS ruling on this case effectively gave corporations personhood rights under the Constitution.
What is Citizens United v FEC?
This document was written by an anonymous author as a direct opposition to the Federalist Papers.
What is Brutus 1?
In Federalist No. 70, Hamilton wrote that this branch of the federal government will have the "power of the sword"
What is the Executive Branch?
The Constitution states that this branch of government has the authority to appoint federal judges.
What is the Executive Branch?
In this case, SCOTUS ruled that the free exercise clause of the 1st amendment takes priority over state laws related to compulsory education.
What is Wisconsin v Yoder?
The SCOTUS ruling on this case established the "clear and present danger" test related to the 1st amendment right to free speech.
What is Schenck v United States?
The ruling of this case was primarily based on the establishment clause of the 1st amendment, as it relates to freedom of religion.
What is Engel v. Vitale?
In this document, the author wrote that a balance of powers in the federal government is "essential to the preservation of liberty"
What is Federalist no. 51?
This amendment protects the people from cruel and unusual punishment and from excessive bail.
What is the 8th amendment?
This case incorporated the 6th amendment to apply to the states.
What is Gideon v Wainwright?
This case established that the federal government has authority over state governments through an implied power of the "necessary and proper" clause of the Constitution.
What is Mcculloch v Maryland?
The SCOTUS ruling in this case upheld the power that states have over control of their local laws, thus upholding the system of checks and balances inherent to Federalism?
What is United States v. Lopez?