SS.7.C.3.12
Analyze the significance and outcomes of landmark Supreme Court cases including, but not limited to, Marbury v. Madison, Plessy v.
Ferguson, Brown v. Board of Education, Gideon v. Wainwright, Miranda v. Arizona, In re Gault, Tinker v. Des Moines, Hazelwood v.
Kuhlmeier, United States v. Nixon, and Bush v. Gore.
______________________________________________________________________________________ SS.7.C.3.12 Benchmark Clarification 2: Students will evaluate how these U.S. Supreme
Court cases have had an impact on society.
Landmark Supreme Court Cases (related to civil rights)
Case
Impact on Society
Marbury v.
The judicial opinion in this case strengthened the system of checks and
Madison (1803) balances. The case established the power of judicial review for the U.S.
Supreme Court. Judicial review is the power of the Supreme Court to decide
whether a law or government action is unconstitutional.
Plessy v.
The judicial opinion in this case said that the idea of “separate but equal” did
Ferguson (1896) not violate the 14th Amendment Equal Protection Clause, as long as the
separate African-American facilities were “equal” in quality to those of whites.
Brown v. Board The judicial opinion in this case strengthened the Equal Protection Clause of
(1954)
the 14th Amendment. It struck down the use of the “separate but equal” idea
established in Plessy v. Ferguson. The U.S. Supreme Court said that
segregation (separation of people based on race) in public schools is
unconstitutional.
In re Gault
The judicial opinion in this case upheld the idea of legal equality. Even though
(1966)
this case involved a juvenile, the U.S. Supreme Court said that minors have
the same rights as adults when accused of crimes, and that Gault’s due
process rights had been violated.
Brown v. Board of Education - U.S. Supreme Court case that determined that “separate but equal” segregation was not
equal in public education
checks and balances - a principle of the federal government, according to the U.S. Constitution, that allows each branch of
government to limit the power of the other branches
civil rights - the basic rights of citizens to be free from unequal treatment based on certain characteristics (e.g., race,
gender, disability)
due process - the right of people accused of crimes to have laws that treat them fairly, so that they cannot lose their life or
freedom without having their legal rights protected
Equal Protection Clause - the section of the Fourteenth Amendment that says that states must apply the law equally and
cannot discriminate against citizens or groups of citizens
In re Gault - U.S. Supreme Court case that determined that juvenile court must follow the Fourteenth Amendment
judicial opinion - judgment by a court
judicial review - the power of the judicial branch to review the actions of the executive and legislative branches and
determine whether or not they are unconstitutional (this includes laws passed by Congress); the U.S. Supreme Court case
Marbury v. Madison established this power
Marbury v. Madison - U.S. Supreme Court case that established judicial review
Plessy v. Ferguson - U.S. Supreme Court case that determined that “separate but equal” segregation was not
discrimination
separate but equal – the concept that having separate facilities for African-Americans and white people was not illegal as
long as the facilities were equal, from the U.S. Supreme Court case Plessy v. Ferguson
unconstitutional - not in agreement with the U.S Constitution