Apush Court cases

Marbury v. Madison

1803

Supreme Court case that established the principle of judicial review, allowing courts to invalidate laws and executive actions that are unconstitutional.

McCulloch V. Maryland

1819

Supreme Court case that reinforced federal authority over state laws, confirming the constitutionality of the Bank of the United States.

Woodward V. Dartmouth

1819

Supreme Court case that established the principle of sanctity of contracts, affirming the right of private corporations to exist without interference from state governments.

Dredd Scott V. Sanford

1857

Supreme Court case that ruled enslaved African Americans were not citizens and could not sue in federal court, and that Congress had no authority to regulate slavery in the territories.

Plessy V. Ferguson

1896

Supreme Court case that upheld racial segregation under the "separate but equal" doctrine, affirming the legality of state laws enforcing segregation.

Korematsu v. U.S

1944
Supreme Court case that upheld the government's decision during World War II to intern Japanese Americans in camps, ruling that national security outweighed individual rights during wartime.

Wabash V. Illinois

1886

Supreme Court case that limited states' powers to regulate interstate commerce, asserting that only Congress could regulate commerce between states.

Cherokee V. Georgia

1831

Supreme Court case that ruled that Native American tribes were not foreign nations but rather "domestic dependent nations," thus limiting their ability to sue in federal court.

Worcester V. Georgia

1832

Supreme Court case that ruled the state of Georgia could not impose regulations on Native American lands, affirming the sovereignty of the Cherokee Nation.