UNIT 5 - SCOTUS cases: civil rights - civil liberties

New York Times v. U.S.

The ruling upheld freedom of the press by allowing The New York Times to publish classified documents about U.S. involvement in Vietnam, stating that the government failed to justify prior restraint.

Tinker v. Des Moines

The case upheld students' freedom of speech, stating they could wear black armbands to protest the Vietnam War as long as it didn't disrupt learning.

Wisconsin v. Yoder

The ruling affirmed the right to free exercise of religion, stating that Wisconsin's compulsory education law violated Amish parents' rights by forcing their children to attend school past eighth grade.

Engle v. Vitale

The Supreme Court ruled that school-sponsored prayer in public schools violated the establishment clause of the First Amendment by promoting religion.

Schenck v. U.S.

This case established that actions which pose a clear and present danger to national security can restrict free speech rights under the First Amendment.

Gideon v. Wainwright

The ruling established that the Sixth Amendment guarantees the right to counsel for all criminal defendants, requiring states to provide an attorney if the defendant cannot afford one.

McDonald v. Chicago

The case held that the Second Amendment right to bear arms applies to state and local governments through the Fourteenth Amendment's due process clause, invalidating Chicago's handgun ban.

Brown v. Board of Education

The ruling declared that racial segregation in public schools is unconstitutional, stating that 'separate but equal' violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.