Landmark Supreme Court Cases (short vid)

Landmark Supreme Court Cases

• The Supreme Court, established in 1790, has ruled on tens of thousands of cases, shaping the legal framework and society in the United States.

• United States v. Wong Kim Ark (1898): Defined birthright citizenship. The Supreme Court ruled 6-2 that anyone born in the U.S. is a citizen, regardless of parent's nationality. This ruling was based on the 14th Amendment. This applied to a person born in San Francisco to Chinese parents.

• Brown v. Board of Education (1954): Declared racially segregated schools unconstitutional, overturning Plessy v. Ferguson. The unanimous 9-0 decision stated that separate facilities are inherently unequal and violate the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause. This was pivotal in desegregating schools.

• Engel v. Vitale (1962): Established that public schools cannot mandate school-led prayers. The 6-1 ruling declared a New York State school system's daily prayer unconstitutional, regardless of its voluntary nature. The ruling upheld the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment (prohibiting state establishment of religion).

• New York Times v. United States (1971) (Pentagon Papers Case): Expanded freedom of the press. The 6-3 ruling acknowledged the right of the New York Times and Washington Post to publish classified information (the Pentagon Papers) detailing US involvement in the Vietnam War. The Court reasoned the government did not sufficiently prove harm to national security.

• Roe v. Wade (1973): Affirmed a woman's constitutional right to an abortion in the first trimester, based on the right to privacy. The Court allowed state regulation in later trimesters to protect the mother and fetus. It was a landmark case in the abortion rights debate.

• Texas v. Johnson (1989): Ruled that burning the American flag is protected symbolic speech under the First Amendment. The 5-4 ruling upheld the right of Gregory Johnson to burn the flag.

• District of Columbia v. Heller (2008): Established an individual right to own firearms, unconnected to military service. The 5-4 decision invalidated a District of Columbia handgun restriction. The Court rejected the idea that the Second Amendment was limited to militia service.

• Obergefell v. Hodges (2015): Affirmed the right to same-sex marriage nationwide. The 5-4 decision declared unconstitutional state bans on same-sex marriage, based on the 14th Amendment's Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses.

• Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization (2022): Overturned Roe v. Wade, eliminating the constitutional right to an abortion. The 5-4 ruling upheld a Mississippi law banning abortion after 15 weeks. The decision returned abortion regulation to individual states. The Court rejected a stare decisis argument for maintaining Roe v. Wade.

Test your knowledge on pivotal Supreme Court cases that have shaped American society and legal standards. This quiz covers important rulings such as United States v. Wong Kim Ark and Brown v. Board of Education, highlighting their impact and significance in U.S. history.