Pass the Florida Civic Literacy Exam (FCLE): Landmark Decisions

Characteristics:
- Involves conflicts and compromises, territorial expansion, and the structure/function of government.
- Addresses civil rights/liberties, social programs, environmental protections, and war powers.

Key Aspects:
- Impact foreign policy and territorial expansion.
- Involve civil rights/liberties, use of executive orders, and presidential powers.

Significance:
- Impact law and interpretation of the Constitution.
- Example: Miranda v. Arizona (1966) established rights against self-incrimination for detained individuals.

Declaration of Independence (1776): Marked the birth of the nation during the Revolutionary War (1775-1783).
Bill of Rights (1791): First ten amendments to the Constitution, protecting individual liberties.
Northwest Ordinance (1787): Established guidelines for state admission, emphasized education, and prohibited slavery.
Judicial Act (1789): Established the federal court system, including three circuit courts and 13 district courts.
Alien and Sedition Acts (1798): Legislation aimed at suppressing dissent and restricting rights during wartime.
- Includes the Nationalization Act and Alien Friends/Enemies Acts.

Louisiana Purchase (1803): Controversial executive action expanding territorial power; involved mapping and exploration by Lewis and Clark.
Missouri Compromise (1820): Attempt to balance slave and free states; Missouri allowed as a slave state; Maine as a free state.
Adams-Onís Treaty (1821): Treaty defining Florida's borders and U.S. claims.
Indian Removal Act (1830): Authorized removal of Native Americans; led to the Trail of Tears, affecting Cherokee tribes.
12th Amendment: Altered presidential election process after electoral tie between Jefferson and Burr (1800).

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819): Affirmed federal authority over state law regarding the Second Bank of the U.S.
Marbury v. Madison (1803): Established the power of judicial review.
Gibbons v. Ogden (1824): Strengthened federal power to regulate interstate commerce.

13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments: Abolition of slavery, defined citizenship, and protected voting rights.
Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857): Denied citizenship to African Americans and invalidated Missouri Compromise.
Emancipation Proclamation (1863): Executive order aiding Union war efforts by freeing slaves in rebellious states.
Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act: Established competency exams for federal jobs to prevent corruption in job assignments.

Plessy v. Ferguson: Established the doctrine of "separate but equal," legitimizing segregation laws.

Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854): Allowed settlers to decide on slavery; led to violence in “Bleeding Kansas.”
Homestead Act (1862): Encouraged westward migration by granting land with conditions for improvement.
Treaty of Paris (1898): Ended the Spanish-American War and concluded Spanish colonial rule in the Americas.
Chinese Exclusion Act: Restricted Chinese immigration due to economic fears during downturns.

World War I (1917-1919) and WWII (1941-1945): Influenced legislation and social dynamics in the U.S.
Espionage and Sedition Acts: Limited free speech during wartime; reinforced government control over dissent.
New Deal Legislation: Franklin D. Roosevelt's response to the Great Depression through various acts and executive orders to aid economic recovery.
Japanese Internment (1942): Resulted in internment of Japanese Americans based on national security fears; upheld by Korematsu v. U.S. (1944).

Brown v. Board of Education (1954): Overturned Plessy v. Ferguson; ruled segregated schools unconstitutional.
Civil Rights Act (1964): Prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
Voting Rights Act (1965): Aimed to eliminate barriers to voting for African American citizens, particularly in the South.
War Powers Resolution (1973): Restricted presidential war powers; aimed to limit unauthorized military engagement.

September 11 Attacks (2001): Led to increased security measures and restrictions on civil liberties.
Patriot Act: Expanded surveillance capabilities of law enforcement; raised concerns over privacy rights.
Citizens United v. FEC (2010): Affirmed that corporations have the right to free speech concerning political contributions.