Baker v. Carr & Reynolds v. Sims

• In 1953, Earl Warren became Chief Justice of the United States, leading the Supreme Court to reshape American politics and society through several rulings.

"One Person, One Vote"

• The Court addressed reapportionment, or how congressional seats are divided, in some notable decisions.
• By 1960, more Americans resided in urban areas than in rural areas; many states' electoral districts failed to reflect this shift.
• In Tennessee, a rural county with 2,340 voters had one state representative, whereas an urban county with 133 times more voters had only seven.
• Rural voters had far more political influence than urban voters due to this disparity.
• Baker v. Carr (1962): The Supreme Court ruled that federal courts had jurisdiction to hear lawsuits seeking to force states to redraw electoral districts.
• Reynolds v. Sims (1964): States must reapportion electoral districts along the principle of "one person, one vote," ensuring equal weight for all citizens' votes.
• The decision shifted political power from rural, conservative areas to urban areas with more liberal voters and boosted the power of African Americans and Hispanics, who typically resided in cities.

Extending Due Process

• The Supreme Court used the Fourteenth Amendment to extend the Bill of Rights to the states.
• Originally, the Bill of Rights applied only to the federal government.
• The Fourteenth Amendment states that no state can deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law, meaning individuals must be treated fairly.
• The Court ruled that due process meant applying the federal Bill of Rights to the states.
• Mapp v. Ohio (1961): State courts could not consider evidence obtained in violation of the U.S. Constitution.
• Gideon v. Wainwright (1963): A defendant in a state court had the right to a lawyer, regardless of their ability to pay.
• Escobedo v. Illinois (1964): Suspects must be allowed access to a lawyer and informed of their right to remain silent before being questioned.
• Miranda v. Arizona (1966): Authorities had to inform suspects of their right to remain silent, that anything they say can be used against them in court, and that they have a right to a lawyer; these warnings are the Miranda rights.

Prayer and Privacy

• The Supreme Court reaffirmed the separation of church and state.
• Engel v. Vitale (1962): States could not compose official prayers and require those prayers to be recited in public schools.
• Abington School District v. Schempp (1963): State-mandated Bible readings in public schools were ruled against.
• Griswold v. Connecticut (1965): Prohibiting the sale and use of birth control devices violated citizens' constitutional right to privacy.
• The Warren Court's rulings shaped national policy, influencing how Americans act and behave today.