The Supreme Court and Civil Rights

Objectives

US.20A: Analyze the effects of landmark U.S. Supreme Court decisions, including Plessy v. Ferguson, Brown v. Board of Education, Hernandez v. Texas, Tinker v. Des Moines, and Wisconsin v. Yoder.

US.9J: Describe how Sweatt v. Painter and Brown v. Board of Education played a role in protecting the rights of the minority during the civil rights movement. 

The Supreme Court

• Litigation-the process of taking legal action 

• Supreme Court-the highest court in the US consisting of 8 justices and 1 chief justice

• President nominates (selects) the candidate

• Senate appoints (approves) the new justice

Supreme Court Powers

• Judicial review-the right of the courts to declare a law constitutional or unconstitutional 

• Constitutional-allowed by the US Constitution

• Unconstitutional-prohibited by the US Constitution

• Example: Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) and Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

Supreme Court Importance

Why does this matter?

• Supreme Court justices are nominated for life.

• They are appointed not elected.

• They make decisions that affect generations of Americans.

• Supreme Court decisions can give, take, expand, or limit rights.