APUSH Supreme Court Cases to Know

Direction: Kogan will provide you with this document but with certain spaces empty. It is your task to fill in the boxes correctly.

Period 4 - 1800-1848
Jacksonian Democracy, Market Revolution, Manifest Destiny
Name of Case / Ruling
(What does the court case say?) / Precedent
(What is the legacy/
Why is it important?)
  1. Marbury v. Madison (1803)
/ Established the process of JUDICIAL REVIEW. The Supreme Court can deem laws unconstitutional. Meaning they can interpret laws and make them illegal. / The Supreme Court can now reviews and consider laws unconstitutional (meaning illegal)
  1. McCullough v. Maryland (1819)
/ States cannot tax the federal government (e.g. Bank of the United States) / The first case that showed that federal government can be more powerful or overrule states. Bank of U.S is constitutional.
  1. Cherokee Nation v. Georgia (1831)
/ The federal government should negotiate with Indians and not states / Again, this shows the fed government overruling the states (Georgia) in dealing with tribes.
  1. Worcester v. Georgia
(1832) / Supreme Court ruled that the Cherokee is a sovereign nation and their borders should be respected / Andrew Jackson did not enforce this ruling and instead ordered the forced migration of Cherokee->Trail of Tears
  1. Commonwealth v. Hunt
(1842) / Labor unions and strikes are legal. / The first case that allows workers to unionize. This is going to be a powerful case when it comes to the workers fighting against big businesses during Gilded Age.
Period 5 - Road to Civil War, Civil War, Reconstruction (1844-1877)
  1. Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857)
/ Slaves are not citizens and cannot sue in court. Dred Scott is not considered free even if he is in free territory. / Established the precedent that slaves are property not people. Slaves remain slaves even if they travel to free territory. (North does not like this)
Period 6 - 1865- 1877 - Gilded Age, Big Business, Populist Party
  1. Wabash v. Illinois
(1886) / States are not allowed to regulate interstate commerce, meaning they can't control how much railroads can charge, only federal government can. / Another example of federal government is greater than state gov't. Reformers look to federal government for assistance now.
  1. Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
/ Legalized segregation in PUBLIC owned facilities based on the idea of "separate but equal" / Established the idea of "separate but equal" which will segregate black and whites. Racist policy and Civil Rights Movement in 1950s-1960s will try to overturn this.
Period 7 - Imperialism, Progressivism, WWI, WWII (1890-1945)
  1. Insular Cases
(1901) / The Constitution does not follow the flag. Just because the U.S. has foreign territory does not mean those people have the same rights as Americans. (e.g. Puerto Rico, Guam) / Individuals living in foreign US territory are considered "alien races" and can't understand "anglo-saxon laws". These ideas lead to new imperialism and white man's burden to civilize.
  1. Northern Securities v. U.S. (1904)
/ Federal government has the power to find monopolies illegal under Sherman Anti-Trust Act. / Teddy Roosevelt becomes the first president to break up a major trust. He is known as a trust-buster. Future President (like Taft) will start to break up more trusts)
  1. Muller v. Oregon (1908)
/ Women are not allowed to work more 10-hour days due to health and community concerns. / This is a win a for the working class women, gaining more economic rights.
  1. Schenck v. US (1919)
/ Upholds the Espionage Act of 1917, which said that anyone who interferes with the war effort can be sent to jail. You do not have the freedom speech if it shows a "clear and present danger" / This is why you can't yell bomb at atan airport because it can be dangerous. Also, the gov't stifles democracy at home by curbing freedom of speech.
  1. Korematsu v. US (1941)
/ Internment camps for Japanese Americans during WWII is constitutional, meaning legal. / The government can lock people in jail (camps) if they think they pose a danger to U.S. Many scholars now believe this was a major mistake by the U.S. gov't.
Period 8 - Civil Rights Movement, Women's Liberation Movement, (1945-1980)
  1. Brown v. Board of Education (1954)
/ Black children can go to school with White children. Overturns Plessy v. Fergusson. / Separate is NOT equal.
  1. Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)
/ You have the right to counsel (lawyer) regardless of your ability to pay. / If you are in court, the government must provide you with a lawyer, even if you can't pay.
  1. Miranda v. Arizona (1966)
/ If you are arrested you must be advised of your constitutional rights and you have the right to remain silent. / Police Officer must read your Miranda rights if they plan to arrest you. You have the right to remain silent.
  1. Roe v. Wade (1973)
/ Courts legalize Abortion / This is a major win for the women's rights movement, as abortions continue to be legal today.
  1. U.S. v Richard Nixon (1974)
/ The courts rejected Nixon's claim to executive privilege, meaning that he did not have to release the tapes because he was president. / Nixon was forced to release the tapes due to the Watergate Scandal.
  1. Bakke v. Regents of the University of California (1978)
/ Courts uphold affirmative action, which means that colleges can use race as a way of selecting candidates / Affirmative Action is still used today in jobs and universities. Very controversial.