Court Cases

Question 1

McCulloch v. Maryland

Answer 1

used supremacy clause from Article VI of the Constitution to affirm the supremacy of the federal government and the US Constitution over the states and the state laws

Question 2

Engel v. Vitale

Answer 2

School sponsorship of religious activities violates the establishment clause of the 1st amendment

Question 3

Wisconsin v. Yoder

Answer 3

Forcing Amish students to attend school past 8th grade violates the free exercise clause of the 1st amendment

Question 4

Tinker v. Des Moines School District

Answer 4

Public school students retain 1st amendment freedom of speech/expression while on campus, as long as it doesn’t disrupt the learning environment

Question 5

New York Times v. United States

Answer 5

ensures freedom of press clause of the 1st amendment by limiting prior restraint except in most extreme cases of national security

Question 6

Schenck v. United States

Answer 6

speech that represents a “clear and present danger” is not protected speech under the freedom of speech clause in the 1st amendment

Question 7

Gideon v. Wainwright

Answer 7

used the 6th amendment to decide that those who cannot afford an attorney will be provided with one, incorporated to the states via the due process clause of the 14th amendment

Question 8

McDonald v. Chicago

Answer 8

the 2nd amendment prevents states from limiting gun ownership for self-protection, incorporated to the states via the due process clause of the 14th amendment

Question 9

Brown v. Board of Education

Answer 9

school segregation violates the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment and it overturned Plessy v Ferguson’s separate but equal doctrine

Question 10

Baker v. Carr

Answer 10

used the equal protection clause in the 14th amendment to apply to redistricting which established “one person one vote” doctrine

Question 11

Shaw v. Reno

Answer 11

used the equal protection clause in the 14th amendment to prohibit states from gerrymandering on the basis of race alone. majority-minority districts are allowed as long as race is not only factor in drawing a congressional district

Question 12

Citizen United v. Federal Election Commission (FEC)

Answer 12

political spending by corporations and organizations is protected speech under the 1st amendment and cannot be limited by gov

Question 13

United States v. Lopez

Answer 13

Congress may not use the commerce clause to make possession of a gun in a school zone a federal crime

Question 14

Marbury v. Madison

Answer 14

used judicial branch’s inherent power from Article II to establish judicial review as constitutional