Supreme Court

Question 1

Marbury V. Madison (1803)

Answer 1

Established Judicial Review

Question 2

McCulloch V. Maryland (1819)

Answer 2

Established the Elastic Clause, Supremacy Clause, and the implied power doctrine, which strengthened the federal government.

Question 3

United States V. Lopez (1995)

Answer 3

Congress may not use the commerce clause, Article I, Section 8, to make possession of a gun in a school zone a federal crime.
(Commerce Clause devolution)

Question 4

Engel V. Vitale (1962)

Answer 4

School sponsorship of religious activities violates the establishment clause in the 1st amendment.
(1st Amendment; religion establishment clause)

Question 5

Winsconsin V. Yoder (1962)

Answer 5

Forcing Amish students to attend school past 8th grade violated the free exercise clause of the 1st amendment.
(1st Amendment; religion free exercise clause home school)

Question 6

Tinker V. Des Moines School District (1969)

Answer 6

Public school students retain 1st amendment freedom of speech/expression while on campus, as long as it doesn’t “disrupt the learning environment.”
(1st Amendment; Free speech symbolic speech; captive audience doctrine)

Question 7

New York Times V. United States (1971)

Answer 7

Ensures freedom of press clause of the 1st amendment by limiting prior restraint except in most extreme cases of national security.
(1st Amendment; free press prior restraint is limited; “Pentagon Papers”)

Question 8

Schenk V. US (1919)

Answer 8

Speech that presents a “clear and present danger” is not protected speech under the freedom of speech clause in the 1st amendment.
(1st Amendment; Free Speech; “clear and present danger” – not all speech is protected)

Question 9

Gitlow V. New York (1925)

Answer 9

The first case that used the selective incorporation doctrine, using the due process clause of the 14th amendment to extend the Bill of Rights protections to states.
(selective incorporation)

Question 10

Gideon V. Wainwright (1963)

Answer 10

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.
(Selective incorporation; 6th Amendment; Right to counsel)

Question 11

Roe V. Wade (1973)

Answer 11

Used the 4th amendment’s right to privacy rule that states could not prevent women from having abortions, incorporated to the states via the due process clause of the 14th amendment.
(Penumbras; right to privacy/abortion)

Question 12

McDonald V. Chicago (2010)

Answer 12

The 2nd amendment prevents states from limiting gun ownership for self-protection.
14th amendment due process clause; Privileges and Immunities Clause; 2nd Amendment.

Question 13

Brown V. Board of Education (1954)

Answer 13

School segregation violated the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment – overturned Plessy V Ferguson’s separate but equal doctrine.
(14th amendment’s equal protection clause)

Question 14

Baker V. Carr (1961)

Answer 14

Used the equal protection clause in the 14th amendment to apply to redistricting.
“The political thicket”; gerrymandering; “one man, one vote.”

Question 15

Shaw V. Reno (1993)

Answer 15

Used equal protection clause of the 14th amendment to prohibit states from racial gerrymandering.
(14th amendment’s equal protection clause; Section V of the Voting Rights Act; racial gerrymandering vs. communities of interest; majority-minority district).

Question 16

Citizen United V. Federal Election Commission (2010)

Answer 16

Political spending by corporations and organizations is protected speech under the 1st amendment and cannot be limited by government.
(1st amendment free speech).