Dr. Wilson's History Blog

CONSTITUTIONAL HISTORY RESEARCH

Dr. Wilson A.P. U.S. History

The Constitution and the Bill of Rights are considered living documents in our history. They are “alive” because the Supreme Court constantly reinterprets them. In this research project, you will study one pivotal Supreme Court case of your choice and interpret its significance in U.S. Constitutional History. In this paper you will address two questions:

1. Was this a strict or loose construction decision?

2. Did the Supreme Court make a good decision from your point of view?

____1. Choose a case:___________________________Date of Decision___ Write one paragraph telling why it is of interest to you.

____2. What is the case about from the point of view of the petitioner? What were the circumstances and what was its previous court history? Day 1

____3. What is the constitutional question? What section of the Constitution did the Supreme Court refer to in its decision? Day 2

____4. Put your topic in the context of the time in which the decision was made. Is the court liberal or conservative? Loose or strict construction? Read Kezirian 249-256 “The Supreme Court: Insights from History.” Answer this on the blog. Day 2

____5. What were the vote and the decision? Who wrote the decision and what arguments did those who wrote the decision and those who were opposed make? Was it a loose or strict interpretation of the Constitution? Was it liberal or conservative within the context of the times? Day 3

____6. What other cases were decided on this same topic? Did your case overturn another? Has your decision been overturned? Day 3

____7. Conclusion: Was this decision a “good” interpretation of the Constitution in your opinion? What has it meant for the American people? Day 4

____8. Now go back and write a thesis paragraph which includes case, date, issue, whether this decision is loose or strict construction, and whether you consider it to be a good or bad decision and why.

Your paper should be 2 pages in length single-spaced (about 1000 words). You need both footnotes and bibliography. If you would like me to read a rough draft, you must have it to me by Oct 20.

The due date is Monday, October 24.

Please also check the following websites for more choices:

//supct.law.cornell.edu/supct/cases/topic.htm AND

Yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/avalon.htm

http://www.findlaw.com/casecode/supreme.html ; http://www.landmarkcases.org/

www.lectlaw.com/tcas.htm

Important Court Cases

18th century

1. Chisholm v. Georgia 1793

19th century

2. Marbury v. Madison 1803 judicial review

3. Peck – 1810 – feds find state law unconstitutional

4. Martin v. Hunter’s Lessee 1816

5. McCulloch v. Maryland 1819 commerce

6. Gibbons v. Ogden 1824 mono poly DAVID G,

7. Worcester v. Georgia 1832 Trail of Tears

8. Dred Scott v. Sandford 1857 black citizenship

9. Ex Parte Milligan 1866 – Lincoln violated Constitution MUHAMMAD

10. Bradwell v. Illinois 1873 – can a woman be a lawyer?

11. Wabash v. Illinois 1886 monopoly

12. Plessy v. Ferguson 1896 segregation  MATT

20th century

13. Northern Securities Company v. US 1904

14. Muller v. Oregon 1908 women’s rights                      KATE

15. Hammer v. Dagerheart 1918 – child labor constitutional           COLLEEN

16. Abrams v. US 1919 free speech                          TEDDY M

17. Schenck v. United States 1919 free speech LUKE

18. Adkins v. Children’s Hospital – 1923 – women don’t need protection CHLOE

19. Meyer v. Nebraska 1923 – Latino Rights JUAN, MICHELLE

20. Norris v. Alabama 1935 Scottsboro boys

21. Schecter Poultry Corporation v. United States 1935 New Deal

22. National Labor Relations Board v. Jones and Laughlin Steel Corp 1937

23. Darby Lumber Co. v. US 1941 – upholds Fair Labor Standards Act

24. Wickard v. Filburn 1942

25. Korematsu v. US 1944 Japanese internment JACOB D, ELMEDIN

26. Morgan v. Virginia 1946

27. Sweatt v. Painter 1950 integration

28. Brown V. Board 1954 school integration      CALLAN

29. Cooper v. Aaron 1958 school integration

30. Mapp v. Ohio 1961 – obscene materials

31. Baker v. Carr 1962 – electoral apportionment

32. Engel v. Vitale 1962 – school prayer

33. Gideon v. Wainwright 1963 right to a lawyer             SAM

34. NY Times v. Sullivan 1964 free press and segregation MIKE,

35. Escobedo v. Illinois 1964 rights of accused

36. Heart of Atlanta Motel, Inc. v. US 1964 – private business and segregation

37. Griswold v. Connecticut 1965 right to birth control       CHRIS

38. Abington School District v. Schempp 1963

39. Miranda v. Arizona 1966 accused rights

40. Loving v. Virginia 1967 interracial marriage  CARA

41. Reed v. Reed – 1971 equal protection protects women

42. Swann v. Charlotte Mecklenburg Board of Ed 1971 – busing

43. Griggs v. Duke Power Co. 1971 – employment equality

44. Roe v. Wade 1973 abortion  MARK, VICKY

45. Milliken v. Bradley 1974 – no school busing across city lines

47. Craig v. Boren (1976) discrimination on the basis of sex

48. Regents of the University of California v. Bakke 1978 affirmative action  CHRISTIAN

49. Cannon v. University of Chicago 1979 – enforcing Title IX CHARLOTTE, CHRIS

50. Harris v. McCrae 1980 – no federal funding of abortions SIENNA, CHRIS

51. Bowers v. Hardwick 1986 sodomy is a crime

52. Lyng v. Northwest Indian Cemetery Protection 1988 – Indian rights MILO

53. United States v. Virginia (1996) – male only admissions at

54. Bush v. Gore 2000 election TESS, CAROLINE

55. Jones v. Alfred H. Mayer Co. – bans racial discrimination in housing

56. Lawrence v. Texas – anti-sodomy laws unconstitutional

57. Grutter v. Bollinger – law school admissions

58 us v nixon shannon JUSTIN, EMILY

There are many others you could choose as well – you can choose another on a topic of your choice as long as you check with the teacher.

/supct.law.cornell.edu/supct/cases/topic.htm AND

Yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/avalon.htm

http://www.findlaw.com/casecode/supreme.html ; http://www.landmarkcases.org/

www.lectlaw.com/tcas.htm