Required Case Briefs for AP GOV

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

Key concept: Judicial Review
Amendment/Clause: Article III (Judiciary Powers)
Importance: This case established judicial review, giving the Supreme Court the power to declare laws unconstitutional, significantly expanding the role of the judiciary

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Key concept: Supremacy of Federal Law

Amendment/Clause: Supremacy Clause, Necessary and Proper Clause

Importance: This ruling affirmed the supremacy of federal law over state law and confirmed Congress’s use of implied powers, strengthening federal authority.

Schenck v. United States (1919)

Key concept: Clear and Present Danger Test

Amendment/Clause: First Amendment (Free Speech)

Importance: The case introduced the "clear and present danger" test, limiting free speech in instances where it poses a significant risk to public safety, especially during wartime.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

Key concept: Desegregation

Amendment/Clause: Equal Protection Clause (14th Amendment)

Importance: This landmark decision ended racial segregation in public schools, overturning Plessy v. Ferguson, and laid the foundation for the Civil Rights Movement.

Engel v. Vitale (1962)

Key concept: Separation of Church and State

Amendment/Clause: Establishment Clause (First Amendment)

Importance: The ruling banned mandatory prayer in public schools, reinforcing the principle of separation between church and state in public institutions.

Baker v. Carr (1962)

Key concept: One Person, One Vote

Amendment/Clause: Equal Protection Clause (14th Amendment)

Importance: This case allowed federal courts to intervene in cases of legislative redistricting, ensuring fair representation through the principle of "one person, one vote."

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

Key concept: Right to Counsel

Amendment/Clause: Sixth Amendment (Right to Counsel)

Importance: The decision guaranteed the right to legal counsel for all criminal defendants, regardless of financial status, ensuring a fair trial in state courts.

Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)

Key concept: Student Free Speech

Amendment/Clause: First Amendment (Free Speech)

Importance: This case protected students’ rights to free speech in public schools as long as it does not disrupt the educational process, emphasizing individual rights in education.

New York Times Co. v. United States (1971)

Key concept: Freedom of the Press
Amendment/Clause: First Amendment (Free Press)
Importance: The ruling limited the government's ability to prevent the publication of classified information (prior restraint), bolstering the press’s role in holding the government accountable.

Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)

Key concept: Religious Freedom in Education

Amendment/Clause: Free Exercise Clause (First Amendment)

Importance: The court ruled in favor of religious exemptions from compulsory education laws, affirming the rights of individuals to exercise their religious beliefs even when they conflict with state interests.

Shaw v. Reno (1993)

Key concept: Racial Gerrymandering

Amendment/Clause: Equal Protection Clause (14th Amendment)

Importance: This case prohibited racial gerrymandering, ruling that redistricting based on race must be held to a standard of strict scrutiny, impacting how electoral districts are drawn.

United States v. Lopez (1995)

Key concept: Limits on Federal Power

Amendment/Clause: Commerce Clause

Importance: The decision limited the scope of the Commerce Clause, marking a shift towards restricting federal power in favor of states' rights, especially regarding non-economic activities

McDonald v. Chicago (2010)

Key concept: Second Amendment Rights

Amendment/Clause: Second Amendment (Right to Bear Arms), Fourteenth Amendment (Due Process Clause)

Importance: The ruling incorporated the Second Amendment to the states, ensuring that individual gun rights are protected nationwide against state and local restrictions.

Citizens United v. FEC (2010)

Key concept: Campaign Finance and Free Speech

Amendment/Clause: First Amendment (Free Speech)

Importance: This case allowed corporations and unions to spend unlimited amounts of money on political campaigns, equating such spending with free speech and significantly altering campaign finance laws.