APUSH court cases quiz

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

Court established its role as arbiter of the constitutionality of federal laws; principle of judicial review.

Fletcher v. Peck (1810)

Decision stems from Yazoo land cases, 1803, and upheld the sanctity of contracts.

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Court ruled states cannot tax federal government; confirmed constitutionality of the Bank of the United States.

Dartmouth College v. Woodward (1819)

Court ruled that the charter of Dartmouth College was protected under the contract clause of the Constitution.

Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)

Clarified the commerce clause and affirmed Congressional power over interstate commerce.

Johnson v. McIntosh (1823)

Established that Indian tribes had rights to tribal lands that preceded all other American law.

Cherokee Nation v. Georgia (1831)

Described tribes as domestic dependent nations; established a trust relationship with tribes.

Charles River Bridge v. Warren Bridge (1837)

Interests of the community are more important than the interests of business.

Commonwealth v. Hunt (1842)

Declared labor unions lawful organizations and strikes a lawful weapon.

Scott v. Sanford (1857)

Ruled Dred Scott was not a citizen; Congress had no power to prohibit slavery in territories.

Ex Parte Milligan (1866)

Ruled that a civilian cannot be tried in military courts while civil courts are available.

Munn v. Illinois (1877)

Allowed states to regulate certain businesses within their borders in the public interest.

Civil Rights Cases of 1883 (1883)

Legalized segregation with regard to private property.

Wabash, St. Louis, and Pacific Railway Company v. Illinois (1886)

Declared state Granger laws regulating interstate commerce unconstitutional.

Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Railroad Co. v. Minnesota (1890)

Found Granger law regulations violated the 5th Amendment right to property.

Pollock v. The Farmers Loan and Trust Co. (1895)

Declared the income tax under the Wilson-Gorman Tariff unconstitutional.

U.S. v. E.C. Knight Co. (1895)

Undermined the authority of the federal government to act against monopolies.

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

Legalized segregation in publicly owned facilities based on 'separate but equal'.

Downes v. Bidwell (Insular Cases) (1901)

Confirmed the right of federal government to impose tariffs on goods from U.S. territories.

Northern Securities Co. v. U.S. (1904)

Re-established authority of federal government to fight monopolies under the Sherman Anti-Trust Act.

Lochner v. New York (1905)

Declared unconstitutional a New York act limiting working hours of bakers.

Muller v. Oregon (1908)

First case to use the 'Brandeis Brief'; recognized a 10-hour work day for women laundry workers.

Hammer v. Dagenhart (1918)

Declared the Keating-Owen Child Labor Act unconstitutional.

Schenck v. U.S. (1919)

Upheld the Espionage Act; ruled free speech could be limited if it presented a 'clear and present danger'.

Adkins v. Children’s Hospital (1923)

Declared unconstitutional a minimum wage law for women, denying their freedom of contract.

Schechter v. U.S. (1936)

Unanimously declared the National Industrial Recovery Act unconstitutional on three grounds.

Korematsu v. U.S. (1941)

Upheld the internment of Japanese Americans during wartime; ruled civil rights could be curtailed.

Ex Parte Endo (1944)

Court forbade the internment of Japanese Americans born in the U.S.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

Reversed 'separate but equal'; ruled that separate facilities are inherently unequal.

Engle v. Vitale (1962)

Ruled that school prayer is unconstitutional.

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

Held that all persons charged with a felony had the right to legal counsel.

Escobedo v. Illinois (1964)

Ruled that police must honor a person’s request for an attorney during interrogation.

Miranda v. Arizona (1966)

Established rights of the accused upon arrest; required informing them of their rights.

Loving v. Virginia (1967)

Declared all laws against interracial marriage unconstitutional.

New York Times Co. v. U.S. (1971)

Protected freedom of the press in relation to the Pentagon Papers.

Roe v. Wade (1973)

Ruled first trimester abortions were allowed; based on woman’s right to privacy.

U.S. v. Richard Nixon (1974)

Rejected Nixon's claim to absolute privilege against judicial process.

Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978)

Court upheld university's use of race in admissions; banned use of racial quotas.