compentency four

Marbury v. Madison

1803 case that established the principle of judicial review.

McCulloch v. Maryland

1819 case that affirmed federal supremacy over state laws.

Dred Scott v. Sandford

1857 case that ruled African Americans could not be citizens.

Plessy v. Ferguson

1896 case that upheld racial segregation under the 'separate but equal' doctrine.

Schenck v. U.S.

1919 case that upheld the conviction of a socialist for anti-draft pamphlets.

Korematsu v. United States

1944 case that upheld Japanese internment during World War II.

Brown v. Board

1954 case that declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional.

Mapp v. Ohio

1961 case that ruled evidence obtained illegally cannot be used in court.

Baker v. Carr

1962 case that established the principle of 'one person, one vote.'

Engel v. Vitale

1962 case that ruled school-sponsored prayer unconstitutional.

Gideon v. Wainwright

1963 case that guaranteed the right to counsel for defendants.

Miranda v. Arizona

1966 case that established Miranda rights for detained individuals.

Tinker v. Des Moines

1969 case that ruled students do not lose their First Amendment rights at school.

New York Times v. United States

1971 case that upheld the right to publish the Pentagon Papers.

Wisconsin v. Yoder

1972 case that ruled against compulsory school attendance for Amish children.

Roe v. Wade

1973 case that legalized abortion nationwide.

United States v. Nixon

1974 case that limited presidential power and upheld the rule of law.

Regents of the University of California v. Bakke

1978 case that upheld affirmative action but struck down racial quotas.

Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier

1988 case that allowed schools to censor student newspapers.

Texas v. Johnson

1989 case that protected flag burning as free speech.

Shaw v. Reno

1993 case that ruled against racial gerrymandering.

U.S. v. Lopez

1995 case that limited Congress's power under the Commerce Clause.

Bush v. Gore

Resolved the 2000 presidential election dispute.

District of Columbia v. Heller (2008)

Affirmed an individual's right to possess a firearm unconnected with service in a militia.

McDonald v. Chicago (2010)

Incorporated the Second Amendment right to bear arms to the states.

Citizens United v. FEC (2010)

Held that corporate funding of independent political broadcasts cannot be limited.

Compromise of 1850

A package of five bills aimed at defusing tensions between slave and free states.

Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854

Allowed territories to decide on the legality of slavery through popular sovereignty.

Homestead Act of 1862

Provided 160 acres of public land to settlers for a small fee.

Pendleton Act of 1883

Established a merit-based system for federal employment.

USA PATRIOT Act of 2001

Expanded the government's surveillance and investigative powers.

Clean Air Act of 1970

Regulated air emissions from stationary and mobile sources.

Tonkin Gulf Resolution of 1964

Gave the president authority to use military force in Southeast Asia.