Lesson 4: Shaping of Judicial Power 5-2-25

Assignment: Landmark Case Analysis & Presentation

Student Task: Choose one case from the list. Create a Google Slide, Canva slide, or poster that answers:

If you want to choose a different case, that is okay, just ask Mr. Larsen

1. What was the constitutional question in the case?

2. How did the case go to the Supreme Court?

3. What did the Supreme Court decide?

4. Has this decision been upheld or overturned?

5. Do you agree with the decision? Why or why not?

Must include a picture and have an overall good appearance as a poster.

10 Points Total. I want to put these up around the room, so please make them look nice!

Bonus points to the best ones.

Helpful Tips:

1) Search for your case using this website:

2) Short answers are okay, but make sure you really understand the case.

3) Watch a Video from Mr. Beat’s Supreme Court Brief series on your case to understand it in more depth if needed.

4) An example that Mr. Larsen created is linked here.

US Foundational Powers & Judicial Review

• Marbury v. Madison (1803) – Established the power of judicial review.

• McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) – Affirmed federal supremacy and implied powers via the Necessary and Proper Clause.

• United States v. Nixon (1974) – Limited executive privilege, leading to Nixon’s resignation.

Civil Rights & Racial Equality

• Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) – Legalized “separate but equal” racial segregation.

• Brown v. Board of Education (1954) – Overturned Plessy, declaring school segregation unconstitutional.

• Loving v. Virginia (1967) – Struck down bans on interracial marriage.

• Obergefell v. Hodges (2015) - Struck down bans on same-sex marriage.

Civil Liberties & Personal Freedoms

• Gideon v. Wainwright (1963) – Guaranteed the right to an attorney for criminal defendants.

• Miranda v. Arizona (1966) – Required that suspects be informed of their rights.

• Tinker v. Des Moines (1969) – Protected students’ free speech in schools.

Privacy, Family, and Bodily Autonomy

• Roe v. Wade (1973) – Legalized abortion based on a constitutional right to privacy.

• Griswold v. Connecticut (1965) – Recognized a right to privacy in marital contraception.

• Obergefell v. Hodges (2015) – Legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.

Education & Affirmative Action

• University of California v. Bakke (1978) – Allowed race as a factor in college admissions but banned racial quotas.

• New Jersey v. T.L.O. (1985) – Ruled school searches must be “reasonable,” not necessarily with a warrant.

Speech, Expression & Religion

• Engel v. Vitale (1962) – Banned school-led prayer, citing the Establishment Clause.

• Texas v. Johnson (1989) – Upheld flag burning as protected speech.

• Morse v. Frederick (2007) - Student Speech Rights at School

• Citizens United v. FEC (2010) – Allowed unlimited political spending by corporations and unions.