Landmark Supreme Court Cases and Constitutional Amendments Review

Flashcards about Landmark Supreme Court Cases and Constitutional Amendments

Dred Scott vs Sanford (1857)

Court ruled that no black person, enslaved or free, could be an American citizen. Angered abolitionists and increased tensions leading to the Civil War.

Munn vs Illinois (1877)

Court ruled that government has the right to regulate private businesses; case started by 'The Grange' farmers association.

Wabash vs Illinois (1886)

Court ruled that federal government has the right to regulate business that occurs across state lines; led to creation of Interstate Commerce Commission.

Plessy vs Ferguson (1890)

Court ruled that segregation was legal if blacks and whites were being equally segregated, leading to Jim Crow laws.

Schenck vs. United States (1919)

Court ruled that during wartime, the government could limit speech that could hurt the war effort, even if it infringed on the 1st Amendment.

Korematsu vs. United States (1941)

Court ruled that during wartime, the government was allowed to force people into internment camps.

Brown vs. The Board of Education (1954)

Court ruled that segregation in schools is illegal because segregating implies that one group is inferior to the other.

Gideon vs. Wainwright (1963)

Court ruled that every person accused of a crime has the right to an attorney, even if they cannot afford to pay the attorney.

Miranda vs. Arizona (1966)

Court ruled that confessions cannot be used against accused criminals unless suspects have been told by police that they have the right to remain silent.

Roe vs. Wade (1973)

Court ruled that a woman’s Constitutional right to privacy includes her right to end her pregnancy, making abortion legal.

US vs. Richard Nixon (1974)

Court ruled that Nixon must release Watergate tapes, restricting the power of the President.

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

Court upholds affirmative action and allows race to be used as a criteria for college admission, but colleges are not allowed to establish quotas for minority admissions.

13th Amendment

Abolished slavery in America (1865).

14th Amendment

Provides American citizenship for anyone born on American soil and guarantees all Americans “equal protection of the law” and “due process” (1868).

15th Amendment

Prohibited states from denying any citizen the right to vote based on race, color or condition of former servitude (1870).

18th Amendment

Prohibition: Made alcohol illegal in America and lead to a criminal distribution network for alcohol (1919).

19th Amendment

Women’s suffrage: Granted women the right to vote (1920).

21st Amendment

Repealed the 18th amendment by making alcohol legal (1933).

22nd Amendment

Limited the President to two terms in office (1951).

24th Amendment

Bans poll taxes and came out of Civil Rights era in 1964.

26th Amendment

Lowers voting age to 18 (1971).

ERA

Equal Rights Amendment, almost ratified in 1979, but never added to our Constitution; would have provided for “equal rights for women.”