United States Constitution timeline

1142

Iroquois Confederacy formed

1215

King John forced by English nobles to signthe Magna Carta at Runnymede

1620

May?ower Compact signed

1692

Salem Witch Trials

1735

Peter Zenger acquitted in a jury trial; foundnot guilty of engaging in seditious libel

1765

The British adopt the Stamp Act

1767

The British adopt the Townsend Act

1770

The Boston Massacre

1773

The Tea Act is adopted

The Boston Tea Party

1774

The First Continental Congress meets

1775

The Second Continental Congress meets

Battles of Lexington and Concord

Battle of Bunker Hill

1776

Declaration of Independence

1777

Second Continental Congress writes the?rst draft of the Articles of Confederation

1781

Articles of Confederation adopted

1786

Shays’s Rebellion begins

1787

Northwest Ordinance adopted

Constitutional Convention

Delaware becomes the ?rst sate to adoptthe new constitution

Federalist Papers

run in New Yorknewspapers

Anti-Federalist

Brutus

and

Letters from the Federal Farmer

run in newspapers andappear in a pamphlet.

1788

Constitution rati?ed by requisite numberof states

George Washington elected as the firstpresident of the United States

1789

Judiciary Act of 1789 establishes the SupremeCourt with six members, and allows for casesfrom a state’s highest court to be appealed tothe United States Supreme Court

President Washington appoints the ?rst six justices

John Jay becomes the ?rst chief justice

1791

First 10 amendments to the Constitution,known as the Bill of Rights, are rati?ed

1793

In

Chisholm v. Georgia,

the SupremeCourt rules that a citizen of one state cansue a different state in federal court

1796

Oliver Ellsworth becomes chief justice

1798

In

Calder v. Bull,

the Supreme Courtdeclares that the ex post facto clauseapplies only to criminal matters.

Congress adopts the Sedition Act

The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions,authored by Thomas Jefferson and JamesMadison, challenge the constitutionality of the Sedition Act

The Eleventh Amendment overturns

Ch isholm v. Georgia

1800

John Marshall becomes chief justice

Thomas Jefferson defeats John Adams forthe presidency, but only after the Houseof Representatives selects him over hisrunning mate Aaron Burr to becomepresident

1803

In

Marbury v. Madison,

Supreme Courtstates it has the power to declare lawsunconstitutional

1804

The Twelfth Amendment changes the pres-idential election process so that the presi-dent and vice president run as a ticket

1810

In

Fletcher v. Peck,

the Supreme Courtdeclares it has the power to review theconstitutionality of state laws

1811

Samuel Chase is the only Supreme Court justice impeached by the House of Rep-resentatives; the Senate refuses to convicthim

1816

In

Martin v. Hunter’s Lessee,

the SupremeCourt overturns a Virginia law, af?rmingthe power of the Supreme Court to declarestate laws unconstitutional

1819

In

McCulloch v. Maryland,

the SupremeCourt upholds the constitutionality of theBank of the United States and indicatesthat the federal government has expansivepowers under the “necessary and proper” clause

In

Dartmouth College v. Wooodward,

theSupreme Court rules that the contractclause prevents a state from changing thecharter of a private college

1820

Missouri Compromise adopted

1824

In

Gibbons v. Ogden,

the Supreme Courtupholds expansive power for the UnitedStates government to regulate commerce

1831

In

Cherokee Nation v. Georgia,

theSupreme Court issues the ?rst of severaldecisions regarding the status of NativeAmericans in the United States

1833

In

Barron v. Baltimore,

the SupremeCourt states that the Bill of Rights doesnot apply to the states

1836

Roger Taney becomes chief justice

1837

In

Charles River Bridge v. Warren Bridge,

the Supreme Court rules that the contractclause does not preclude the state of Mas-sachusetts from allowing a new bridge tobe incorporated and built next to an exist-ing one that had received a charter fromthe state

1851

In

Cooley v. Board of Wardens,

the SupremeCourt af?rms the power of states to regulatelocal navigation issues despite restrictionsimposed by the commerce clause

1854

Kansas-Nebraska Act adopted

1857

In

Dred Scott v. Sanford,

the SupremeCourt declares the Missouri Compromiseunconstitutional and also rules that blacksare property, not citizens

1860

Abraham Lincoln elected president

1864

Salmon P. Chase becomes chief justice

1865

The Thirteenth Amendment, abolishingslavery, is rati?ed

Reconstruction begins

1866

In

Ex parte Milligan,

the Supreme Courtaf?rms the power of Congress to removeits jurisdiction to decide a habeas corpusafter the Court had already had oral argu-ments in the case

1868

The Fourteenth Amendment is ratified,overturning

Dred Scott v. Sanford;

theamendment prevents states from denyingthe privileges and immunities of U.S. citi-zens, granting equal protection of the lawor Due Process of law

1870

The Fifteenth Amendment is rati?ed, pro-hibiting discrimination in voting on thebasis of race

1873

In the

Slaughterhouse Cases,

the SupremeCourt limits the meaning of the privilegesand immunities clause of the FourteenthAmendment

1874

Morrison R. Waite becomes chief justice

1875

Supreme Court rules in

Minor v. Happer- sett

that states may deny women the rightto vote

1876

In

Munn v. Illinois,

the Supreme Courtupholds the regulation of grain elevators

1877

Reconstruction ends with the withdrawalof federal troops from the South

1883

In the Civil Rights cases, the SupremeCourt declares that Congress lacks theauthority to prevent discrimination in pri- vate establishments

1887

In

Mugler v. Kansas,

the Supreme Courtstrikes down a State law prohibiting intoxicating beverages, ruling that it (the Court)has the right to review the reasonablenessof legislation

1888

Melville W. Fuller becomes chief justice

1895

Supreme Court upholds the use of injunc-tions to halt labor strikes in

In re Debs

Supreme Court narrows the application,the Sherman Antitrust Act and the powerof Congress to regulate commerce in

United States v. E.C. Knight Company

Supreme Court declares federal incometax unconstitutional in

Pollock v. Farmers’ Loan

1896

In

Plessy v. Ferguson,

the Supreme Courtupholds segregation and the “separate butequal” doctrine

1897

In

Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Rail-road Company v. Chicago,

the SupremeCourt begins the process of incorporatingthe Bill of Rights to the states by holdingthat the Fifth Amendment just-compensa-tion clause applies to the states

In

Allgeyer v. Louisiana,

the SupremeCourt strikes down a State law regulatinga private contract

1905

In

Lochner v. New York,

the SupremeCourt strikes down a state law regulatingthe working hours of bakers, holding that it violates the Due Process clause of the Four-teenth Amendment

1907

The Tillman Act is passed, preventing cor-porations from expending money to in?u-ence federal elections

1908

In

Muller v. Oregon,

the Supreme Courtupholds laws limiting working hours for women; Louis Brandeis introduces thefamous “Brandeis brief” in the case

1910

Edward D. White becomes chief justice

1913

The Sixteenth Amendment passes, over-turning

Pollock v. Farmers’ Loan

The Seventeenth Amendment passes, pro- viding for direct election of U.S. senators

1914

Supreme Court declares the exclusionary rule to be part of the Fourth Amendmentin federal proceedings in

Weeks v. UnitedStates

1916

Louis Brandeis, the ?rst Jewish SupremeCourt justice, is sworn in

1917

Bolsheviks seize power in Russia

Congress adopts the Espionage Act

United States enters World War I

1918

In

Hammer v. Dagenhart,

the SupremeCourt strikes down child labor laws as anunconstitutional regulation of commerce

Congress adopts the Espionage Act

1919

The Eighteenth Amendment is adopted,banning the sale and manufacture of alco-hol for consumption

Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., devel-ops the “clear and present danger” test in

Schenck v. United States

In

Abrams v. United States,

the SupremeCourt upholds the convictions of ?ve Rus-sian immigrants who circulated antiwarlea?ets

1920

Nineteenth Amendment ratified, giving women the right to vote

1921

Former president William Howard Taftbecomes chief justice

1923

In

Adkins v. Children’s Hospital,

theSupreme Court strikes down as unconstitu-tional a federal minimum wage for women

1925

In

Gitlow v. New York,

the Supreme Courtincorporates the First Amendment freespeech clause to apply to the states throughthe due process clause of the FourteenthAmendment

In

Pierce v. Society of Sisters,

the SupremeCourt declares that parents have a rightto send their children to private religiousschools

1927

In

Buck v. Bell,

the Supreme Court upholdsa law requiring the forced sterilization of amentally retarded woman

1930

Charles Evans Hughes becomes chief justice

1931

In

Near v. Minnesota,

the Supreme Courtrules that the First Amendment prevents states from engaging in prior restraint; inthis case, the Supreme Court also incorpo-rates the First Amendment freedom of thepress clause to the states

1932

In the Scottsboro case of

Powell v. Ala- bama,

the Supreme Court rules that thestate must provide legal counsel to thoseaccused of capital crimes; it incorporatesthis Sixth Amendment right to the states

Supreme Court upholds the power of statesto issue a moratorium on mortgage repay-ments in

Home Building and Loan Asso-ciation v. Blaisdell

1933

The Twentieth Amendment is adopted,changing the dates for terms of the president, vice president, and members of Congress

The Twenty-?rst Amendment is adopted,repealing the Eighteenth Amendment

1935

Supreme Court building completed andthe Court moves into it

In

Schechter Poultry Co. v. United States,

the Supreme Court declares a trade ruleadopted under the National IndustrialRecovery Act to be an unconstitutional violation of the commerce clause

1936

In

Carter v. Carter Coal,

the SupremeCourt invalidates a federal law seeking toregulate coal production, ruling that it vio-lates the commerce clause

1937

President Roosevelt issues his “court-pack-ing plan”

In

Palko v. Connecticut,

Justice BenjaminCardozo develops the doctrine of “selectiveincorporation” and fundamental freedoms

In

NLRB v. Jones & Laughlin Steel Co.,

the Supreme Court invalidates portions of the National Labor Relations Act as a vio-lation of the commerce clause

In

DeJonge v. Oregon,

the Supreme Courtincorporates the freedom of assembly clause to apply to the states

In

West Coast Hotel v. Parrish,

theSupreme Court upholds a state minimum wage law for women, overturning

Adkins v.Children’s Hospital

1938

In the famous footnote number four of

United States v. Caroline Products,

theSupreme Court through Harlan FiskeStone indicates that it will no longer giveheightened scrutiny to economic legisla-tion, but instead will afford more protec-tion to civil rights; this case marks thebeginning of the “New Deal” Court

Hatch Acts adopted, placing restric-tions on the political activities of federalemployees

1940 In

Minersville School District v. Gobitis,

the Supreme Court upholds a compulsory ?ag-salute law

In

Cantwell v. Connecticut,

the SupremeCourt incorporates the free-exercise clauseto apply to the states

Franklin Roosevelt elected to a third termas president of the United States

1941

Harlan Fiske Stone becomes chief justice

United States enters World War II

In

United States

v. Darby Lumber,

theSupreme Court upholds the Fair LaborStandards Act of 1938 and, in effect, over-turns

Hammer v. Dagenhart

1942

In

Wickard v. Filburn,

the Supreme Courtrejects the broad commerce clause powerof Congress to regulate wheat productionforpersonal use

In

Betts v. Brady,

the Supreme Court cre-ates the exclusionary rule that prevents theuse of illegally obtained evidence in fed-eral court to convict an individual

The Court declares in

Skinner v. Okla-homa

that individuals have a fundamentalright to procreate

In

Chaplinsky v. New Hampshire,

theSupreme Court declares that fight-ing words are not protected by the FirstAmendment

1943

In

West Virginia v. Barnette,

the SupremeCourt holds that compulsory ?ag salutingin school is unconstitutional; this decisionoverturns

Minersville School District v.Gobitis

1944

In

Korematsu v. United States,

theSupreme Court upholds the forced andmass detention of Japanese Americans; inthe same case, the Court also declares thatany policy that categorizes individuals by race is suspect

1946

Fred M. Vinson becomes chief justice

In

Colegrove v. Green,

the Supreme Courtsays it will not hear reapportionment cases

1947

In

Everson v. Board of Education ,

theSupreme Court rules that the establish-ment clause does not bar the use of publicschool buses to transport students to paro-chial schools; in this case, the Court alsoincorporates the establishment clause toapply to the states

1948

In

McCullum v. Board of Education ,

theSupreme Court rules that the establish-ment clause bars religious instruction inpublic schools

In

In re Oliver,

the Supreme Court incor-porates the Sixth Amendment right to apublic trial to apply to the states

1949

The Federal Communications Commissionadopts the Fairness Doctrine

In

Wolf v. Colorado,

the Supreme Courtincorporates the Fourth Amendment, butnot the exclusionary rule, to apply to thestates

1951

In

Dennis v. United States,

the SupremeCourt upholds the conviction of 11 mem-bers of the Communist Party for violatingthe Smith Act

The Twenty-second Amendment isadopted, limiting presidents to serving twoterms

1952

In

Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer,

the Supreme Court declares that PresidentTruman’s seizure of the steel mills duringthe Korean war was unconstitutional

In

Beauharnais v. Illinois,

the SupremeCourt rules that the First Amendmentdoes not protect group libel

In

Zorach v. Clauson,

the Supreme Courtupholds a release time program to allowpublic school students to attend religiouseducation classes

1953

Earl Warren becomes chief justice

1954

“Separate but equal” doctrine declaredunconstitutional in

Brown v. Board of Education

and in

Bolling v. Sharpe

1957

Supreme Court seeks to de?ne obscenity in

Roth v. United States

In

Watkins v. United States,

the SupremeCourt places limits on congressionalinvestigations

1958

Supreme Court declares it is the ?nal wordon the meaning of the Constitution in

Coo- per v. Aaron

In

NAACP v. Alabama,

the SupremeCourt declares that states may not violatethe right of freedom of association

1959

In

Barenblatt v. United States,

theSupreme Court rules that Congress may compel witnesses to testify about their pastpolitical associations

1961

In

Mapp v. Ohio,

the Supreme Courtextends the exclusionary rule to apply tothe states

The Twenty-third Amendment is adopted,giving the District of Columbia three elec-toral votes in the selection of the president

1962

In

Baker v. Carr,

the Supreme Courtreverses its decision in

Colgrove v. Green

and rules that reapportionment challengescan be heard in federal court

In

Engel v. Vitale,

the Supreme Courtdeclares that state-sponsored prayer inpublic schools is unconstitutional

In

Robinson v. California,

the SupremeCourt incorporates the Eighth Amend-ment cruel and unusual punishment clauseto apply to the states

1963

In

Gideon v. Wainwright,

the SupremeCourt rules that individuals accused of felonies must receive an Attorney if they cannot afford one

In

Ferguson v. Skrupa,

the Supreme Courtdeclares the doctrine of substantive dueprocess for economic legislation to be dead
In

Sherbert v. Verner,

the Supreme Courtrules that a state must give unemploymentbene?ts to a person who was ?red from a job for refusing to work on her sabbath

In

Abington v. Schempp,

the SupremeCourt declares Bible reading in publicschools to be unconstitutional

In

Edwards v. South Carolina,

theSupreme Court effectively incorporatesthe First Amendment right of petition toapply to the states

1964

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is passed by Congress

In

Heart of Atlanta Motel v. United States

and

Katzenbach v. McClung,

the SupremeCourt upholds the constitutionality of the1964 Civil Rights Act

In

New York Times v. Sullivan,

the SupremeCourt establishes a higher standard thatmust be met for a public of?cial to sue libel

The Twenty-fourth Amendment is adopted,outlawing poll taxes

In

Aguilar v. Texas,

the Supreme Courtincorporates the warrant requirements of theFourth Amendment to apply to the states

In

Malloy v. Hogan,

the Supreme Courtincorporates the Fifth Amendment privi-lege against self-incrimination to apply tothe states

In

Reynolds v. Sims,

the Supreme Courtestablishes the “one person, one vote” stan-dard for redistricting

1965

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is passed by Congress

In

Pointer v. Texas,

the Supreme Courtincorporates the Sixth Amendment right toconfront witnesses to apply to the states

In

Griswold v. Connecticut,

the SupremeCourt declares unconstitutional a state lawmaking it illegal to sell contraceptives tomarried couples

1966

In

Miranda v. Arizona,

the Supreme Courtrules that those suspected of a crime mustbe read their rights when they are takeninto custody

1967

Thurgood Marshall becomes the ?rst Afri-can American on the Supreme Court

The Twenty-?fth Amendment is adopted,creating a line of succession to the presi-dency in the event of a vacancy

In

Klopfer v. North Carolina,

the SupremeCourt incorporates the Sixth Amendmentright to a speedy trial to apply to the states

1968

Supreme Court decides in

Flast v. Cohen

that taxpayers have standing to chal-lenge some religious funding under theConstitution

Congress adopts the Indian Bill of Rights

In

Duncan v. Louisiana,

the Supreme Courtincorporates the Sixth Amendment right toa trial by jury (for significant offenses) toapply to the states

1969

In

Brandenburg v. Ohio,

the SupremeCourt rules that mere Advocacy of violenceis protected under the First Amendment

In

Stanley v. Georgia,

the Supreme Courtrules that individuals have a First Amend-ment right to view pornography in theirown homes

In

Tinker v. Des Moines IndependentSchool District,

the Supreme Court rulesthat students have a First Amendment rightto wear black armbands in school to protestthe Vietnam War

In

Benton v. Maryland,

the Supreme Courtincorporates the Fifth Amendment rightagainst double jeopardy to apply to thestates

In

Red Lion Broadcasting v. FCC,

theSupreme Court upholds the fairnessdoctrine

Warren Burger becomes chief justice

1970

In

Oregon v. Mitchell,

the Supreme Courtdeclares unconstitutional a federal law low-ering the voting age in state elections to 18 years old

1971

In

Lemon v. Kurtzman,

the Supreme Courtissues a constitutional test to determine when state aid to parochial schools violatesthe establishment clause In

Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Boardof Education,

the Supreme Court upholdsthe use of busing to achieve racial integra-tion of schools

In

Cohen v. California,

the Supreme Courtrules that the First Amendment protectsthe right of an individual to depict profanity on a piece of clothing in a court to protestthe Vietnam War.

In

New York Times Co. v. United States,

theSupreme Court af?rms the First Amend-ment right to publish the Pentagon Papers

The Twenty-sixth Amendment is adopted,overturning

Oregon v. Mitchell

and lower-ing the voting age to 18 years

1972

In

Furman v. Georgia,

the Supreme Courtstrikes down all death penalty laws asunconstitutional

In

Eisenstadt v. Baird,

the SupremeCourt strikes down a state law preventingthe sale of birth control devices to singleindividuals

1973

Laws outlawing abortion are struck down in

Roe v. Wade

Supreme Court establishes a new test forobscenity in

Miller v. California

Four justices in the Supreme Court case

Frontiero v. Richardson

declare “sex” to bea suspect classi?cation

Supreme Court declares, in

San AntonioIndependent School District v. Rodriguez,

that education is not a fundamental right andthat wealth is not a suspect classi?cation

Congress adopts the War Powers Act

1974

In

United States v. Nixon,

the SupremeCourt orders President Nixon to turn overhis private, tape-recorded White Houseconversations to a special prosecutor

1976

In

Buckley v. Valeo,

the Supreme Courtupholds portions of the new Federal Elec-tion Campaign Act that regulate campaigncontributions; the Court strikes down theregulations on campaign spending

In

Gregg v. Georgia,

the Supreme Courtupholds the Georgia death penalty law

In

Craig v. Boren,

the Supreme Court statesthat a higher level of scrutiny is needed when individuals are classi?ed by gender

1977

In

Carey v. Reproductive Health Services,

the Supreme Court rules that the Constitu-tion protects the right of minors to receivebirth control

In

Coker v. Georgia,

the Supreme Courtdeclares that the Eighth Amendment barsthe execution of individuals convicted of rape

1978

In

Regents of the University of California v.Bakke,

the Supreme Court upholds the useof affirmative action in education admis-sions so long as race is one of several factorsused in evaluating candidates

In

Zurcher v. Stanford Daily,

the SupremeCourt upholds the issuance of search war-rants to search a student newspaper of?ce

In

FCC v. Paci?ca Foundation,

the SupremeCourt af?rms the power of the FCC to ?nea radio station for the broadcast of GeorgeCarlin’s “Seven Dirty Words” routine

1981

Sandra Day O’Connor becomes the first woman on the Supreme Court

1982

In

New York v. Ferber,

the Supreme Courtdeclares that child pornography is obsceneand not protected by the First Amendment

1983

In

INS v. Chadha,

the Supreme Courtdeclares a one-house legislative veto to bean unconstitutional violation of the present-ment clause

1986

William Hubbs Rehnquist becomes chief justice

In

Bowers v. Hardwick,

the SupremeCourt rules that private, consensual homo-sexual sodomy is not protected by theConstitution

In

Bethel School District v. Fraser,

theSupreme Court rules that public schoolof?cials can regulate student speech that is vulgar

In

Meritor Savings Bank v. Vinson,

theSupreme Court declares sexual harassmentto be sexual discrimination In

Bowsher v. Synar,

the Supreme Courtstrikes down the Budget and Emergency De?cit Control Act of 1985, ruling it to be a violation of separation of powers

1987

In a contentious confirmation process,United States Senate refuses to confirmRobert Bork to the Supreme Court

1988

In

Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier,

the Supreme Court rules that public schoolof?cials can regulate school-sponsored stu-dent speech

In

Morrison v. Olson,

the Supreme Courtupholds the constitutionality of the specialprosecutor law

1989

In

Texas v. Johnson,

the Supreme Courtdeclares unconstitutional a law making ?agburning illegal

1990

In

Cruzan v. Director, Missouri Depart- ment of Health,

the Supreme Court rulesthat individuals have a right to withholdmedical treatment and to die

In

Employment Division v. Smith,

theSupreme Court af?rms the unemploymentbene?ts to two Native Americans who were?red from work because they tested posi-tive for the use of peyote during an Indianreligious ceremony

1991

Clarence Thomas is con?rmed as a SupremeCourt justice after allegations of sexualharassment by Anita Hill

1992

In

Planned Parenthood v. Casey,

theSupreme Court reaffirms

Roe v. Wade

but also upholds several restrictions upon women seeking abortions

In

Lee v. Weisman,

the Supreme Courtbans public prayer at public schoolgraduations

The Supreme Court strikes down a cross-burning law as a violation of the FirstAmendment in

R.A.V. v. St. Paul

The Twenty-seventh Amendment, originally proposed in 1789, is adopted, providing thatany changes in compensation for membersof Congress cannot take effect until afterthe next election

1993

Congress adopts the Religious FreedomRestoration Act in an effort to overturn

Employment Division v. Smith

1995

In

United States v. Lopez,

the SupremeCourt strikes down Congress’s authority under the commerce clause to regulateguns near schools

In

Rosenberger v. Rector & Visitors of theUniversity of Virginia,

the Supreme Courtrules that the University of Virginia can-not deny student activity fees to religiousgroups

1996

Congress seeks to regulate the content of the Internet with the adoption of the Com-munications Decency Act

1997

In

City of Boerne v. Flores,

the SupremeCourt strikes down application of the Reli-gious Freedom Restoration Act to the states

In

Reno v. ACLU,

the Supreme Courtstrikes down two provisions of the Commu-nications Decency Act of 1996

In

Printz v. United States,

the SupremeCourt declares that Congress lacks theauthority under the commerce clause andthe Tenth Amendment to require local of?-cials to perform mandatory backgroundchecks on gun purchasers under the Brady Handgun Violence Protection Act

1998

In

Clinton v. New York,

the Supreme Courtstrikes down the presidential line-item veto

2000

In

Bush v. Gore,

the Supreme Court haltsthe Florida presidential recount, makingGeorge Bush the winner of the 2000 presi-dential race

In

Santa Fe Independent School District v.Doe,

the Supreme Court rules that a highschool’s practice of announcing prayersover the loudspeaker at high school footballgames violates the establishment clause

In

Boy Scouts v. Dale,

the Supreme Courtrules that the First Amendment protectsthe right of the Boy Scouts to exclude gaysfrom their organization

2001

Terrorist attacks on the United States

The PATRIOT Act is adopted
In

Cooper Industries v. Leatherman,

theSupreme Court incorporates the EighthAmendment right against excessive ?nes toapply to the states

2002

Congress passes McCain-Feingold, theBipartisan Campaign Reform Act, to regu-late money in politics

In

Atkins v. Virginia,

the Supreme Courtdeclares that the Eighth Amendment barsthe execution of individuals who are men-tally retarded

2003

Supreme Court overrules

Bowers v. Hard- wick

in

Lawrence v. Texas

In a pair of cases,

Gratz v. Bollinger

and

Grutter v. Bollinger,

the Supreme Courtupholds the use of af?rmative action to pro-mote educational diversity

In

Virginia v. Black,

the Supreme Courtupholds a state cross-burning law asconstitutional

In

McConnell v. FEC,

the Supreme Courtupholds the soft money ban in the Biparti-san Campaign Finance Reform Act of 2002

In

United States v. American Library Asso-ciation,

the U.S. Supreme Court upholdsthe Children’s Internet Protection Act

2004

In

Hamdi v. Rumsfeld,

the Supreme Courtrules that an American citizen cannot beheld inde?nitely on American soil withouta right to habeas corpus review

In

Rasul v. Bush,

the Supreme Court rulesthat aliens being held in con?nement at theAmerican military base in GuantánamoBay, Cuba, are entitled to have a federalcourt hear challenges to their detentionunder the federal habeas corpus statute

2005

John G. Roberts, Jr., becomes chief justiceof the Supreme Court

In

Roper v. Simmons,

the Supreme Courtdeclares the imposition of the death penalty on individuals under the age of 18 to be a violation of the Eighth Amendment

In

Kelo v. City of New London,

the SupremeCourt af?rms as a valid public use for emi-nent domain the taking of private property for economic development purposes

2006

Samuel Alito replaces Sandra Day O’Connoras justice on the Supreme Court

The U.S. Supreme Court upholds a TenCommandments monument display in aTexas public park in

Van Orden v. Perry

and strikes down displays of the Ten Com-mandments outside two Kentucky county courthouses in

McCreary County v. ACLUof Kentucky

2007

In

Gonzales v. Carhart,

the Supreme Courtupholds a federal law banning partial birthabortions

In

Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District,

the SupremeCourt rules that race may not be used inschool placement/enrollment decisions

In

Morse v. Frederick,

the Supreme Courtrules that school of?cials can censor/punishstudent speech seen as advocating illegaldrug use

In

FEC v. Wisconsin Right to Life,

the Supreme Court rules that McCain-Feingoldrestrictions on advertising are unconstitu-tional as applied

2008

In

Boumediene v. Bush,

the Supreme Courtrules that the foreign terrorist suspects heldin Guantánamo Naval Base in Cuba havethe right of habeas corpus (to challengetheir detention in a U.S. court), which waspreviously denied to them by the Military Commissions Act of 2006

The Supreme Court rules in

Districtof Columbia v. Heller

that the SecondAmendment protects the rights of citizensto own a ?rearm for private use. This case was the ?rst in Supreme Court history todirectly address the issue of gun control forindividuals

Conclusion

Notes

See Also

About the Author/s and Rewiever/s

Author: United States

References and Further Reading

About the Author/s and Reviewer/s

Author: United States


Posted

in

, ,

by

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *