US Supreme Court Cases Quiz

Supreme Court Cases

• Marbury v. Madison (1803) reinforced the power of the courts.
• District of Columbia v. Heller (2008) reduced the ability of states to place restrictions on Second Amendment rights.
• Gideon v. Wainwright (1963) established that defendants had the right to counsel.
• Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) focused on the First Amendment.
• Mapp v. Ohio (1961) impacted Fourth Amendment protections at the state level.
• McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) was based on the Necessary and Proper Clause and reinforced the federal government's authority to run a federal institution without interference by a state.
• Tinker v. Des Moines (1969) was based on the First Amendment.
• Roe v. Wade (1973) held that reproductive rights were an element of the right to privacy under the Bill of Rights and the Fourteenth Amendment.
• Miranda v. Arizona (1966) held that persons accused of crimes must be advised of their Fifth and Sixth Amendment rights upon their arrest.
• Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857) held that the authors of the U.S. Constitution did not intend for African Americans to be U.S. citizens.
• West Virginia v. Barnette (1943) was based on the Free Exercise Clause.

Government and Constitution

• The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution are called the Bill of Rights.
• The President may serve no more than two elected terms, established by a constitutional amendment.
• The length of a U.S. Senator's elected term is six years.
• The judiciary was intended to hold the least power according to the U.S. Constitution.
• Checks and balances stop one branch of government from becoming too powerful.
• The Supreme Court is the highest federal court in the United States.
• The principle that the national and state governments share power is an example of federalism.
• The goal of the Supremacy Clause is that states may not pass laws that conflict with federal laws.
• The first phrase of the U.S. Constitution is "We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union".
• The Senate is one chamber of the U.S. Congress.

Rights and Responsibilities

• One right included in the First Amendment is free speech.
• One responsibility of only U.S. citizens is serving on a jury.
• Running for federal office is a right reserved for U.S. citizens only.
• The purpose of the Selective Service System is to draft for compulsory military service.

Historical Documents

• The Articles of Confederation provided an outline for a state-centered government.
• The phrase "all men are created equal" is included in the Declaration of Independence.
• The colonists used a political cartoon with the caption "Join or Die" to support forming their own government.
• The phrase "I ask no favors for my sex. I surrender not our claim to equality" from a letter written by Sarah Grimké in 1837 is reflected in the Fourteenth Amendment.

Test your knowledge of key United States Supreme Court cases and landmark decisions throughout history. From Dred Scott v. Sandford to Roe v. Wade, explore the impact of these cases on society and the legal landscape.