Important Court Cases & People College Board assumes you know

Loving v. Virginia

Made it illegal for states to ban interracial marriage.

Roe v. Wade

Legalized abortion nationwide during early pregnancy.

Regents of U of CA v. Bakke

Allowed race to be one factor in college admissions, but banned quotas.

Schenck v. United States

Said free speech can be limited if it causes danger, like urging people to dodge the draft.

Miranda v. AZ

Made police tell you your rights when you're arrested ("You have the right to remain silent…").

McCulloch v. Maryland

Confirmed the national bank is legal and the federal government is stronger than states.

Korematsu v. US

Allowed Japanese internment camps during WWII for national security (widely criticized today).

Worcester v. Georgia

Said Native Americans had the right to stay on their land, but Jackson ignored it.

Marbury v. Madison

Gave the Supreme Court the power of judicial review (to strike down unconstitutional laws).

Dred Scott v. Sanford

Said enslaved people weren’t citizens and Congress couldn’t stop slavery in territories.

Plessy v. Ferguson

Said segregation was okay if things were “separate but equal.”

Brown v. Board of Education

Said school segregation is not okay; overturned Plessy.

Ben Franklin

Founding Father who helped write the Declaration and was known for inventions and diplomacy.

Thomas Paine

Wrote Common Sense, convincing colonists to break from Britain.

Thomas Jefferson

Wrote the Declaration, became the 3rd president, supported states’ rights.

John Adams

2nd president, avoided war with France, strong Federalist leader.

Alex Hamilton

Created the national bank, wanted a strong central government, helped write the Federalist Papers.

James Madison

“Father of the Constitution” who helped write the Bill of Rights.

George Washington

First president, warned against political parties and foreign alliances.

Andrew Jackson

7th president who supported the “common man,” removed Native Americans, and hated the national bank.

Henry Clay

Known for big compromises (like Missouri Compromise) that tried to keep the North and South together.

Abraham Lincoln

16th president who led the U.S. during the Civil War and issued the Emancipation Proclamation.

Jane Addams

Helped immigrants and poor people by starting Hull House during the Progressive Era.

Woodrow Wilson

President during WWI, created the League of Nations (but U.S. didn’t join).

FDR

President during the Great Depression and WWII; created the New Deal to help Americans recover.

LBJ

President after JFK; passed civil rights laws and created programs like Medicare in his “Great Society.”

MLK

Leader of the nonviolent civil rights movement; gave the “I Have a Dream” speech.

Ronald Reagan

Conservative 1980s president; cut taxes, built up the military, and helped end Cold War tensions.