Crash Course AP US History Supreme Court Cases

The John T. Scopes Trial, 1925

-The immediate issue was the legality of a Tennessee law prohibiting the teaching of the theory of evolution in the state's public schools. -Involved a Tennessee high school biology teacher, who was indicted for teaching evolution. -The trial illustrates the cultural conflict in the 1920's between fundamentalism and modernism.

Plessy v. Ferguson, 1896

-The case involved a dispute over the legality of segeregated railroad cars in Louisiana. -It upheld segregation by approving "separate but equal" accommodations for African Americans. -It sanctioned "separate but equal" public facilities for African Americans.

The 1873 Slaughterhouse Cases and the 1883 Civil Rights Cases

-Both cases narrowed the meaning and effectiveness of the Fourteenth Amendment. -Both cases weakened the protection given to African Americans under the Fourteenth Amendment.

Dred Scott v. Sanford, 1857

-African Americans were not citizens and therefore could not petition the court. -Slaves could not be taken from their masters, regardless of a territory's "free" or "slave" status. -The case was a major issue during the Lincoln-Douglas debates. -The judge ruled that national legislation could not limit the spread of slavery in the territories. -The decision invalidated the Northwest Ordinance and the 36º 30' line in the Missouri Compromise. -The Fourteenth Amendment invalidated the Dred Scott decision.

Miranda v. Arizona, 1966

-Controversial Warren Court decision establishing a defendant's "Miranda Rights." -The Court ruled that no confession could be admissible unless a suspect had been made aware of his or her rights and the suspect had then waived them.

The Warren Court, 1953-1969

-During a period of intense judicial activism, the Court used its power to promote social programs. -The court reached notable and controversial decisions that established rights for those accused of crimes.

Korematsu v. United States, 1944

-In early 1942, Japanese Americans living on the West Coast of the United States were forced from their homes into detention camps on the grounds that they were a potential threat to the security of the United States. -The Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the relocation as a wartime necessity. Constitutional scholars now view the relocation as a flagrant violation of civil liberties.

The Marshall Court, 1801-1835

-John Marshall believed that the United states would be best served by concentrating power in a strong central government. -Under Chief Justice John Marshall, Supreme Court decisions tended to promote business enterprise. -Under John Marshall's leadership, the Supreme Court upheld the supremacy of federal legislation over state legislation.

Late Nineteenth- and Early Twentieth-Century Cases

-Supreme Court decisions strengthened the position of big business.

Dartmouth College v. Woodward, 1819

-The Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution protected contracts from state encroachments. -The ruling safeguarded business enterprise from interference by state governments.

Griswold v. Connecticut, 1965

-The Supreme Court struck down a state law prohibiting the use of contraceptives. -The Court proclaimed a "right to privacy" that soon provided the basis for decisions protecting women's abortion rights.

Worcester v. Georgia, 1831

-The Supreme Court upheld the rights of the Cherokee tribe. -President Jackson refused to recognize the Court's decision. He said "John Marshall has made his decision: now let him enforce it."

Roe v. Wade, 1973

-The U.S. Supreme Court upheld abortion rights for women. -The Court based its decision, in part, on the right to privacy established in Griswold v. Connecticut.

Baker v. Carr, 1962

-The case established the principle of "one man, one vote." -The Supreme Court required the reapportionment of districts for some state legislatures.

Marbury v. Madison, 1803

-The case established the principle of judicial review. -Judicial review gave the Supreme Court the authority to declare acts of Congress unconstitutional. -It was one of a series of landmark decisions by Chief Justice John Marshall that strengthened the federal government.

Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 1954

-The ruling reversed the principle of "separate but equal" established in Plessy v. Ferguson. -It declared racially segregated public schools inherently unequal. -It declared that public school segregation is a denial of equal protection of the laws under the Fourteenth Amendment. -The Fourteenth Amendment guarantees citizens "equal protection of the laws." The Fourteenth Amendment is a key tool used by civil rights groups to overturn segregation. -This was the most important Supreme Court decision in the decade following World War II. It had widespread consequences for the rights of minority groups.

Sacco and Vanzetti Trial, 1920's

-The trial illustrated the widespread fear of radicals and recent immigrants.