Shaping the Constitution and Court Cases-American Government 2025

Supreme Court case over who has the right to use the waterways for their Steamship company, as a result of growing commerce using the waterways, it ruled that the federal government should regulate the commerce between states with all fees the same between the states. This used the Commerce Clause and the Supremacy Clause and the Basic Principle of Federalism was clarified in favor of the Federal Government gaining more power over the States.

Ogden vs Gibbons

Maryland was trying to tax the national bank established as part of Hamilton's financial system and Supreme Court ruled that federal law was stronger than state law, using the Supremacy clause, the Necessary and Proper Clause, and the Basic Principle of Federalism was clarified in favor of the Federal Government gaining more power over the States.

McCulloch vs Maryland

______________________________ strengthened the federal judiciary by establishing for it the power of judicial review, by which the federal courts could declare legislation, as well as executive and administrative actions, inconsistent with the U.S. Constitution ("unconstitutional") and therefore null and void. This expanded the power of the Judicial Branch and added to the Basic Principles of Checks and Balances and Separation of Powers

Marbury vs Madison

1954 - The Supreme Court overruled Plessy v. Ferguson, declared that racially segregated facilities are inherently unequal and ordered all public schools desegregated. This further clarified the Doctrine of Incorporation of the 14th Amendment which says: No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law, nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Brown vs Board of Education

a landmark case in United States Supreme Court history. In the case, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled, using the 14th Amendment and its Doctrine of Incorporation, that state courts are required under the Sixth Amendment of the Constitution to provide counsel in criminal cases for defendants unable to afford their own attorneys.

Gideon v. Wainwright

Jackson's response to S. Carolina's ordinance of nullification that declared the tariffs of 1828 & 1832 null and void, & S. Carolina would not collect duties on them; authorized President Jackson to use military force to collect duties on the Tariffs of 1828 and 1832; Further extended The Supremacy Clause, and expanded and defined the power of the Federal Government over the states in the Basic Principle of Federalism

Force Bill (1833)

a Supreme Court case which resulted in a decision affirming the president's ability to fire those executive-branch officials whom he appointed without Senate approval further clarifying the Basic Principle of Separation of Powers and Checks and Balances

Myers vs. United States

Eminent domain case: Local governments may force the sale of private property and make way for private economic development when officials decide it would benefit the public. Altered the Limited Government Basic Principle against the people and in favor of the government

Kelo vs New London

Required reapportionment, Representatives being moved around according to where the population of a state was located, in 1962 and 1964 result is political power in country shifted from the rural areas (farms) to urban areas (cities), clarifying the Basic Principle of Popular Sovereignty

Baker vs. Carr/Reynolds vs Sims

The U.S. Supreme Court, in deciding cases brought before it, has frequently interpreted provisions of the U.S. Constitution to clarify and extend their meaning. The Supreme Court has also declared actions of the branches and of the states to be unconstitutional.

Judicial Review

Allows Congress to pass laws needed to execute powers.

Necessary and Proper Clause

Division of power between federal and state governments.

Basic Principle of Federalism

These practices are related to provisions in the Constitution, but venture into areas not specifically addressed in the Constitution. For example, legislative oversight of the executive branch grew in part out of Congress' need for information to help draft new legislation

Informal Practices

The U.S. Congress, in , has provided details that build upon the framework of the Constitution. For example, the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act have provided specific directions to promote constitutional principles and, in this case, the extension of minority rights.

Creating Legislation

Extends Bill of Rights to state laws.

Doctrine of Incorporation

Legislation aimed at eliminating voting discrimination.

Voting Rights Act

An excerpt from the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is below: "No person acting under color of law shall in determining whether any individual is qualified under State law or laws to vote in any Federal election, apply any standard, practice, or procedure different from the standards, practices, or procedures applied under such law or laws to other individuals within the same county, parish, or similar political subdivision who have been found by State officials to be qualified to vote..." Which basic principle of the Constitution was reinforced as a result of this act?

Popular Sovereignty

Restricts government power to protect individual rights.

Limited Government

System ensuring no branch dominates government.

Checks and Balances

Divides government into three branches: executive, legislative, judicial.

Separation of Powers

The United States Constitution is a living document that changes over time as a result of amendments and Supreme Court decisions. How did the Constitution change as a result of the 26th Amendment?

it made 18 year old citizens eligible to vote in federal elections