Historical Landmark Cases and Constitutional Interpretation Quiz

Marbury v. Madison established the principle of judicial review, giving the Supreme Court the power to interpret and strike down laws as unconstitutional.

Plessy v. Ferguson established the 'separate but equal' doctrine, allowing racial segregation as long as facilities were deemed equal.

Roe v. Wade upheld the right to privacy, legalizing abortion in the United States by establishing a woman's right to choose.

Mapp v. Ohio established the 'exclusionary rule,' prohibiting the use of illegally obtained evidence in criminal trials, enhancing Fourth Amendment protections.

Crawford v. Washington affirmed the right to a fair trial and the right to confront witnesses, emphasizing the importance of face-to-face confrontation in criminal proceedings.

Lemon v. Kurtzman established the 'lemon test,' evaluating laws for excessive entanglement with religion and ensuring they have a secular purpose, not advancing or inhibiting religion.

Brown v. Board of Education ruled that racially segregated public schools were unconstitutional, overturning the 'separate but equal' doctrine.

Gideon v. Wainwright affirmed the right to counsel for criminal defendants, establishing that states must provide legal representation for indigent defendants.

Schenck v. United States established the 'clear and present danger' test, allowing restrictions on free speech if it presents a clear danger to the public or government.

Roper v. Simmons ruled that juveniles cannot receive the death penalty, citing evolving standards of decency and a recognition of juveniles' diminished culpability.

Reynolds v. Sims established the principle of 'one person, one vote,' requiring legislative districts to be roughly equal in population, promoting equal representation.

Obergefell v. Hodges ruled that same-sex marriage is a constitutional right, recognizing marriage equality and overturning state bans on same-sex marriage.