Shaping America's Legal Landscape
The Supreme Court is a crucial part of our country's judicial system and government. Today this blog post will explore the history, structure, and important decisions of the Supreme Court highlighting its role in American Democracy. The Supreme Court was created in 1789 and established ultimate jurisdiction over the laws in the United States.
Through reading The article https://www.history.com/topics/us-government-and-politics/supreme-court-facts I learned that there were only six justices when the court was founded and the number has grown over the years. Congress modified the number of justices multiple times until 1869 when it was decided that there be nine seats which still stands today. Over time there have been over one hundred Supreme Court justices, but only one justice, Samuel Chase, has been removed.
Judicial review is a concept I find very interesting. Solidified in 1803 by the Landmark case Marbury v. Madison, Justice John Marshall asserted the court's authority to rule on the constitutionality of federal laws. This decision made it so the Supreme Court could check on the actions of the executive and legislative branches of government.
Here are some landmark cases that had a tremendous impact on American society:
1. Dread Scott v. Stanford (1857): Denied Citizenship to African Americans ruling that they could not be considered U.S. Citizens even if they lived in free states. This decision had devistating implications for the status of enslaved people and increased tensions over slavery in the United States. https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/dred-scott-v-sandford#:~:text=In%20this%20ruling%2C%20the%20U.S.,slavery%20from%20a%20Federal%20territory.
2. Plessy v. Ferguson (1896): Upheld Segregation laws by establishing the 'separate but equal' doctrine, which allowed racial segregation in public facilities. https://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib//ourdocs/plessy.html#:~:text=Ferguson%20ruled%20that%20separate%2Dbut,hotels%2C%20theaters%2C%20and%20schools.
Overall the Supreme Court stands as a cornerstone of American Democracy as it holds power to interpret the Constitution and protect individual rights. Throughout its history, it has served a crucial role in shaping the nation's laws and values.
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