Social Studies: AP Government: Supreme Court: Landmark Cases
Constitutional principles, holdings, and applications
Social Studies: AP Government: Supreme Court: Landmark Cases
Constitutional principles, holdings, and applications
Social Studies - Grade 9-12
- 1
Marbury v. Madison established one of the Supreme Court's most important powers. Identify that power and explain why it matters in a system of checks and balances.
Think about what the Court can do when a law conflicts with the Constitution.
Marbury v. Madison established judicial review, the power of the Supreme Court to declare laws or executive actions unconstitutional. This matters because it allows the judicial branch to check the legislative and executive branches. - 2
In McCulloch v. Maryland, Maryland tried to tax the national bank. Explain the Court's ruling and identify the constitutional clause that supported it.
Consider both implied powers and the relationship between national and state governments.
The Court ruled that Congress had the power to create a national bank and that Maryland could not tax it. The ruling relied on the Necessary and Proper Clause and strengthened the idea of national supremacy. - 3
Schenck v. United States involved speech during wartime. What test did the Court use, and how did the ruling limit First Amendment protections?
The Court used the clear and present danger test. It ruled that speech could be restricted when it created a serious and immediate danger, especially during wartime. - 4
Brown v. Board of Education overturned the idea of separate but equal in public schools. Identify the constitutional amendment involved and explain the significance of the ruling.
Focus on equality under the law and public education.
Brown v. Board of Education relied on the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The Court ruled that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional because separate schools are inherently unequal. - 5
Baker v. Carr addressed legislative districting. Explain the one person, one vote principle and why the case was important for representation.
Think about what happens if one district has far more people than another but still elects the same number of representatives.
Baker v. Carr allowed federal courts to hear challenges to legislative apportionment. The one person, one vote principle means districts should have roughly equal populations so that each person's vote carries similar weight. - 6
Engel v. Vitale involved prayer in public schools. What did the Court rule, and which part of the First Amendment was central to the decision?
The Court ruled that school-sponsored prayer in public schools is unconstitutional. The decision was based on the Establishment Clause, which prevents the government from promoting or endorsing religion. - 7
Gideon v. Wainwright changed the rights of criminal defendants. Explain the Court's ruling and identify the amendment that applied.
Focus on whether a fair trial is possible without a lawyer.
The Court ruled that states must provide an attorney to defendants in serious criminal cases if they cannot afford one. The ruling applied the Sixth Amendment right to counsel through the Fourteenth Amendment. - 8
Tinker v. Des Moines involved students wearing black armbands to protest the Vietnam War. Explain the Court's ruling about student speech in public schools.
Think about the difference between silent protest and disrupting a classroom.
The Court ruled that students do not lose their First Amendment rights at school. Schools may limit student expression only when it causes a substantial disruption or interferes with the rights of others. - 9
New York Times Co. v. United States involved the publication of the Pentagon Papers. What did the Court rule about prior restraint?
The Court ruled that the government had not met the heavy burden required to justify prior restraint. The decision strengthened freedom of the press by limiting the government's ability to stop publication before it happens. - 10
Wisconsin v. Yoder involved Amish families who objected to compulsory school attendance beyond eighth grade. Explain the Court's ruling and the First Amendment principle involved.
Focus on religious practice rather than government endorsement of religion.
The Court ruled that Wisconsin could not force Amish children to attend school beyond eighth grade because doing so burdened the families' religious beliefs. The decision protected the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment. - 11
Shaw v. Reno involved oddly shaped congressional districts. What constitutional issue did the Court address, and why can race-based districting be controversial?
The Court addressed whether race was used too heavily in drawing congressional districts. Race-based districting can be controversial because it may violate equal protection if race is the dominant factor without sufficient justification. - 12
United States v. Lopez limited congressional power under the Commerce Clause. Explain the Court's ruling and its effect on federalism.
Ask whether the activity directly involved buying, selling, or interstate economic activity.
The Court ruled that Congress exceeded its Commerce Clause power when it passed a law banning guns in school zones because the activity was not sufficiently connected to interstate commerce. The ruling reinforced limits on national power and protected state authority. - 13
District of Columbia v. Heller addressed gun ownership. Explain the Court's interpretation of the Second Amendment in this case.
The Court ruled that the Second Amendment protects an individual's right to possess a firearm for lawful purposes, such as self-defense in the home. The decision limited the government's ability to ban handgun possession. - 14
McDonald v. Chicago applied the Second Amendment to state and local governments. Explain how selective incorporation was used in the decision.
Connect the Bill of Rights to the Fourteenth Amendment.
The Court ruled that the Second Amendment right recognized in Heller applies to state and local governments through the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. This is an example of selective incorporation because a Bill of Rights protection was applied to the states. - 15
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission involved campaign spending by corporations and unions. Explain the Court's ruling and its connection to the First Amendment.
The Court ruled that independent political spending by corporations and unions is protected speech under the First Amendment. The decision allowed more outside spending in elections, as long as the spending is not directly coordinated with candidates.