Supreme Court Decisions
Plessy V. Ferguson
(1896) was a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision that established the "separate but equal" doctrine, legally sanctioning racial segregation for over half a century
(1972) a landmark Supreme Court case ruling that Amish parents' right to freedom of religion outweighs state laws requiring school attendance until age 16. The Court decided that forcing Amish children to attend school past the eighth grade violated their First Amendment rights, as it conflicted with their religious beliefs and way of life.
(1962) a landmark Supreme Court case ruling that voluntary, school-sponsored prayer in public schools violates the U.S. Constitution. The Court decided that even a nondenominational, optional prayer violates the First Amendment's Establishment Clause, which forbids government endorsement of religion.
Executive Order 9066
Executive Order 9066 was a 1942 presidential order signed by FDR during WWII, authorizing the forced removal and incarceration of roughly 120,000 Japanese Americans (mostly U.S. citizens) on the West Coast to inland concentration camps. It was justified as "military necessity" after Pearl Harbor, stripping individuals of their homes and freedoms.
Brown V. Board of Education
(1954) was a landmark Supreme Court case ruling that racial segregation in public schools is unconstitutional - decision declared that "separate but equal" facilities are inherently unequal, violating the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause, effectively launching the school desegregation movement (overturned Plessy V. Ferguson)
Schenk V. United States
(1919) a landmark Supreme Court case ruling that freedom of speech (First Amendment) can be restricted if the words used create a "clear and present danger" to the country. The Court upheld the conviction of Charles Schenck for distributing flyers urging men to resist the WWI draft, arguing this violated the Espionage Act of 1917 during wartime.
Mapp V. Ohio
(1961): Ruled that evidence seized in violation of the 4th Amendment (unreasonable searches) is excluded from state courts.
Executive Order 9981
Executive Order 9981, signed by President Harry S. Truman on July 26, 1948, abolished racial discrimination in the U.S. Armed Forces and ordered the desegregation of the military services. It established equality of treatment and opportunity for all service members regardless of race, color, religion, or national origin.
Hernandez V. Texas
(1954) was a landmark Supreme Court case ruling that Mexican Americans and all other racial/ethnic groups in the U.S. are protected under the 14th Amendment. It ruled unanimously that excluding Mexican Americans from juries in Texas was unconstitutional, overturning a conviction against Pete Hernandez
Korematsu V. United States
(1944) a landmark Supreme Court case that stated it was constitutional to forcibly relocate and intern Japanese-Americans during World War II. The Court decided that national security ("military necessity") outweighed civil rights, even for U.S. citizens, upholding the convictions of those who refused to leave their homes under Executive Order 9066.
Texas V. Johnson
(1989): Ruled that burning the American flag is protected symbolic speech under the 1st Amendment.
Sweatt V. Painter
(1950) was a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case ruling that a separate law school for Black students in Texas was not equal to the all-white University of Texas Law School, violating the 14th Amendment. It forced the admission of Heman Sweatt, a Black applicant, effectively weakening the "Plessy v. Ferguson" "separate but equal" doctrine in higher education.
Tinker V. Des Moines
(1969) a landmark Supreme Court case ruling that students do not lose their First Amendment rights to free speech when they enter school. The Court decided that wearing black armbands to protest the Vietnam War was "symbolic speech" protected by the Constitution, provided it does not cause a "substantial disruption" to the learning environment
Marbury V. Madison
(1803): Established the power of judicial review.
Miranda V. Arizona
(1966) a landmark Supreme Court case ruling that police must inform suspects of their Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and Sixth Amendment right to an attorney before custodial interrogation. Statements made without these warnings (known as "Miranda rights") are inadmissible in court.
Bush V. Gore
(2000) was a landmark Supreme Court case that halted Florida's manual recount of the 2000 presidential election, effectively making George W. Bush the president. The Court ruled county-by-county recount standards violated the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause, halting the process.
McCulloch V. Maryland
(1819): Confirmed the constitutionality of the Bank of the United States and federal supremacy over states.