ap gov landmark court cases

Engel v. Vitale (1962)

1st amendment - establishment clause; ruled school prayers unconstitutional

Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)

1st amendment - free exercise; wisconsin law required that all children must attend public school until 16 but amish ppl sued states saying it violated their rights.

Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)

1st amendment - freedom of speech and expression; students wore black armbands to protest against vietnam war'; recognized 1st amend. rights for students as long as it doesnt interfere w education.

Schenck v. United States (1919)

1st amendment - freedom of speech and expression; passed out leaflets declaring that the draft violated 13th amendment against involuntary servitude. arrested under the Espionage Act of 1917. appealed for violating 1st amend.

New York Times Co. v. United States (1917)

1st amendment - freedom of press; the “pentagon papers case”. nixon administration attempted to prevent nyt and washington post from publishing classified documents. president’s attempt to prevent publication violated 1st amendment.

McDonald v. Chicago (2010)

2nd amendment - right to bear arms; guaranteed that 2nd amendment applies to state, local, and federal govts.

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

6th amendment - right to a fair trial; plaintiff could not afford a lawyer but was not offered one. declared that everyone has the same rights in court.

Roe v. Wade (1973)

14th amendment - due process clause; plaintiff filed lawsuit challenging a texas law that made abortions illegal in exception to certain cases. 14th amendment protects right to privacy but texas law was broad. declared a constitutional right to abortion.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

14th amendment - equal protection clause; abolished “separate but equal” doctrine