Historical Supreme Court Cases

Question 1

Dred Scott v. Sanford 1857

Answer 1

Dred Scott had no right to sue for his freedom and it also stated that Congressional prohibitions against slavery in US territories were unlawful

Question 2

Plessy v. Ferguson 1896

Answer 2

separate but equal was legal and allowed segregation to be maintained

Question 3

Near v. Minnesota 1931

Answer 3

states banned from using prior restraint (outlawing something before it takes place) to discourage publication of objectional material, EXCEPT during wartime, obsenity, or incitement to violence

Question 4

West Virginia Board of Education v. Barnette 1943

Answer 4

ruled saluting the flag not constitutional, overturning earlier ruling

Question 5

Korematsu v. United States 1944

Answer 5

upheld legality of forced evacuation of Japanese during WWII

Question 6

Brown v. Board of Education

Answer 6

reversal to Plessy v. Ferguson and ruled separate but equal not constitutional, but de facto segregation still persists

Question 7

Mapp v. Ohio 1961

Answer 7

extended exclusionary rule, which bars evidence gathered illegally, court has modified this particularly with drug cases

Question 8

Engel v. Vitale 1962

Answer 8

rules against school prayer based on separation of church and state

Question 9

Gideon v. Wainwright 1963

Answer 9

courts must provide counsel to all poor defendants, later extended to all defendants facing prison sentences

Question 10

Abington Township v. Schempp 1963

Answer 10

rules against bible study based on separation of church and state

Question 11

Escobedo v. Illinois 1964

Answer 11

exteded right to counsel prior to interrogation by authorities

Question 12

Miranda v. Arizona 1966

Answer 12

all suspects must be informed of due process rights before police question them

Question 13

Tinker v. Des Moines School District 1969

Answer 13

ruled for “symbolic speech” protected by First Amendment when students wore black armbands to protest against Vietnam War

Question 14

New York Times v. United States 1971

Answer 14

allowed the publication of the Pentagon Papers during Vietnam War, under First Amendment freedom of the press

Question 15

Roe v. Wade 1973

Answer 15

legalized abortion if the fetus is not viable

Question 16

Bakke v. Regents of the University of California 1978

Answer 16

ruled university’s quota system unconstitutional

Question 17

Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier 1988

Answer 17

freedom of the press does not extend to student publications that can be viewed as sponsored by the school