A.P. Government Supreme Court Cases Review

These flashcards cover key Supreme Court cases and their implications regarding government power, individual rights, and constitutional interpretation.

McCulloch v. Maryland

This case affirmed Congress's ability to create a national bank and that states cannot tax federal institutions.

U.S V Lopez

This case limited Congress's power under the Commerce Clause by ruling that carrying a gun in a school zone is not an economic activity.

Engel v. Vitale

This case ruled that it is unconstitutional for state officials to compose an official school prayer and encourage its recitation in public schools, violating the Establishment Clause.

Wisconsin V Yoder

This case held that parents have the right to exclude their children from compulsory school attendance for religious reasons, emphasizing the importance of free exercise of religion.

Tinker v. Des Moines

This case established that students do not lose their First Amendment rights to freedom of speech when they enter school, ruling in favor of students wearing armbands in protest.

New York Times v. U.S

This case reinforced the principle of freedom of the press, ruling that the government could not prevent the New York Times from publishing classified documents without showing a clear justification for prior restraint.

Schenck v. U.S.

This case upheld the conviction of Charles Schenck for distributing leaflets urging resistance to the draft during World War I, establishing the "clear and present danger" test for restrictions on free speech. It determined that speech creating a clear and present danger to national security is not protected under the First Amendment.

Gideon v. Wainwright

This case established the right to counsel, ruling that states are required to provide an attorney to defendants in criminal cases who cannot afford one, thereby extending the Sixth Amendment right to counsel to state courts.

Roe v. Wade

This case recognized a woman's right to choose to have an abortion under the right to privacy, ruling that states cannot impose excessive restrictions on this right during the first trimester of pregnancy. It established a framework for state regulation of abortions based on the trimester.

McDonald v. Chicago

This case incorporated the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment, ruling that state and local governments cannot infringe upon this right.

Brown v. Board of Education

This landmark case declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional, ruling that "separate but equal" educational facilities are inherently unequal and violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Citizens United v. FEC

This case ruled that political spending by corporations and unions is protected speech under the First Amendment, allowing them to spend unlimited amounts on political campaigns.

Baker v. Carr

This case established the principle of "one person, one vote," ruling that redistricting can be challenged in federal court, thereby ensuring equal representation in legislative districts.

Shaw v. Reno

This case addressed racial gerrymandering, ruling that redistricting plans cannot create bizarrely shaped districts solely for the purpose of increasing minority representation, as it violates the Equal Protection Clause.

Marbury v. Madison

This landmark case established the principle of judicial review, allowing the Supreme Court to determine the constitutionality of laws and acts of Congress.