Government AP Required Cases and Documents

Marbury v. Madison (1803)

Established judicial review; "midnight judges;" John Marshall; power of the Supreme Court.

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

the Supreme Court upheld the power of the national government and denied the right of a state to tax the federal bank using the Constitution's supremacy clause. The Court's broad interpretation of the necessary and proper clause paved the way for later rulings upholding expansive federal powers

Schenck v. US (1919)

Allows limits to speech based on the "clear and present danger" principle

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

unanimously held that the racial segregation of children in public schools violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. Brown claimed that Topeka's racial segregation violated the Constitution's Equal Protection Clause because the city's black and white schools were not equal to each other and never could be. Overruled Plessy v. Ferguson's "separate but equal" doctrine and would eventually led to the desegregation of schools across the South

Baker v. Carr (1961)

Court-enforced redistricting based on the principle of "one-person-one-vote" ensured that urban constituencies were represented proportionally equal to rural area constituents

Engel v. Vitale (1962)

Prohibited state-sponsored recitation of prayer in public schools by virtue of 1st Amendment's establishment clause and the 14th Amendment's due process clause; Warren Court's judicial activism.

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

Extends to the defendant the right of counsel in all state and federal criminal trials regardless of their ability to pay.

Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)

Public school students may wear armbands to class protesting against America's war in Vietnam when such display does not disrupt classes

New York Times v. US (1971)

The U.S. President Richard Nixon had claimed executive authority to force the Times to suspend publication of classified information in its possession. The question before the court was whether the constitutional freedom of the press under the First Amendment was subordinate to a claimed Executive need to maintain the secrecy of information. The Supreme Court ruled that First Amendment did protect the New York Times' right to print said materials.

Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)

The Court ruled that Wisconsin could not require Amish parents to send their children to public school beyond the eighth grade because it would violate long-held religious beliefs.

Roe v. Wade (1973)

Abortion rights fall within the privacy implied in the 14th amendment

Shaw v. Reno (1993)

Legislative redistricting must be conscious of race and ensure compliance with the Voting Rights Act of 1965

United States v. Lopez (1995)

Commerce clause of Constitution does not give Congress the power to regulate guns near state-operated schools

McDonald v. Chicago (2010)

Incorporated the 2nd Amendment right to bear arms to the states

Citizens United v. FEC (2010)

Holding that independent expenditures are free speech protected by the 1st Amendment and so cannot be limited by federal law. Leads to creation of SuperPACs & massive rise in amount of third party electioneering (Citizens for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow)

The Declaration of Independence

the document recording the proclamation of the second Continental Congress (4 July 1776) asserting the independence of the colonies from Great Britain

The Articles of Confederation

1st Constitution of the U.S. 1781-1788 (weaknesses-no executive, no judicial, no power to tax, no power to regulate trade)

Federalist No. 10

An essay written by James Madison that warned against factions due to their tyrannical structure and said a larger United States is better for the diversity of politics.

Brutus No. 1

This work by a prominent Anti-Federalist argued that that the new federal government would be too powerful. In particular, he pointed to the necessary-and-proper clause and the supremacy clause. In addition, he objected to Congress's power to tax and raise a standing army and to the vast size of the proposed republic. He felt this powerful new government would supplant the states.

Federalist No. 51

Argues that separation of powers within the national government is the best way to prevent the concentration of power in the hands of one person or a single group.

The U.S. Constitution

The document written in 1787 and ratified in 1788 that sets forth the institutional structure of the U.S. government and the tasks these institutions perform. It replaced the Articles of Confederation.

Federalist No. 70

Hamilton argues for the necessity of a single president (rather than an executive committee). Hamilton states that Americans should not fear the president becoming a tyrant because a single person would be easier to control. Additionally, a single president could act with more energy, efficiency, and secrecy than a committee.

Federalist No. 78

written by Alexander Hamilton; talks about the federal judiciary; judiciary must depend on other two branches to uphold its decisions

"Letter from Birmingham Jail"

Letters written by MLK; In it, he argues that he and his fellow demonstrations have a duty to fight for justice. Explains the four steps of nonviolent protest: fact finding, negotiation, self-purification, and direct action.