Landmark Supreme Court Cases

Marbury v. Madison •After president Adams lost the election of 1800s he appointed many federalist to the courts including William Marbury •James Madison, secretary of state refused to deliver these commissions which upset Marbury. •After which Marbury applied to the supreme court to enforce the delivery of his commission under the Judiciary Act of 1789 •Court refused Marbury’s request because they felt that issues with the Judiciary Act was conflicting with the Constitution •Chief Justice Marshall established the concept of judicial review.

McCulloch v. Maryland The United States, at this time (1819) had a federal bank, the Bank of the United States. The State of Maryland voted to tax all bank business not done with state banks. This was meant to be a tax on people who lived in Maryland but who did business with banks in other states. However, the State of Maryland also sought to tax the federal bank. Andrew McCulloch, who worked in the Baltimore branch of the Bank of the United States, refused to pay the tax. The State of Maryland sued, and the Supreme Court accepted the case. Writing for the Court, Chief Justice John Marshall wrote that the federal government did indeed have the right and power to set up a federal bank. Further, he wrote, a state did not have the power to tax the federal government. "The right to tax is the right to destroy," he wrote, and states should not have that power over the federal government.

Gibbons v. Ogden •The state of New York gave an exclusive license to Aaron Ogden to operate a steamboat to carry passengers from New York to New Jersey. However, the federal government gave Thomas Gibbons a license for the same route. Aaron Ogden sued and won in New York court. Thomas Gibbons took the case to the Supreme Court where they overturned the decision. •This decision provided the federal government with the ability to regulate interstate commerce.

Dred Scott v. Sanford •Dred was fighting for his “free man’s” rights since he traveled through “free soil” •The government was decided the free soil federal laws and Missouri Compromise were unconstitutional it deprived slave owners of the rights of his property. •Decision made by Roger B Taney, state rights advocate

Plessy v. Ferguson • A Louisiana law had separate seating for whites and blacks on public railroads. •Plessy argued his “equal protection of the laws” was violated. •Court thought segregation was okay if facilities were equal, so they interpreted 14th Amendment to only give blacks political and civil equality •Louisiana Law was seen as “reasonable exercise of police power.”

Brown v. Board of Education •Linda Brown wasn’t permitted to attend her neighborhood school because of her ethnicity •Court heard arguments whether segregation was a violation of the equal protection clause and found that it was. •Court said “ in the field of public education the doctrine of separate but equal has no place” •Decision overturn Plessy Vs. Ferguson