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Creation of the Supreme Court
The Supreme Court is the branch of the government that interprets the law. There is one Chief Justice and five associate justices. The constitution states the Supreme Court has the right to establish inferior courts as well as has all of the judicial power. The constitution established and regulated how the Supreme Court would work . -
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John Jay
John Jay served as the Chief Justice of the Supreme court from 1789 to 1795. -
John Jay
John Jay was the Cheif Justice of the Supreme court for five years. He was the first Chief Justice of the United States and was appointed by George Washington. During this time he passed the eleventh amendment to the Constitution. He left his postion in 1795 for a six year stint as the governor of New York. He was nominated for a second time by John Adams but he declined due to his poor health. -
John Marshall
During the 1800 election the Federalists had been almost compleatly wiped out of the excecutive and legeslative branches. In order to keep foothold in the government for the Federalists John Adams quickly appointed Federalists to the Suprmeme Court. One of these "Midnight Appointments" was John Marshall as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. He was the Chief Justice that decided the practice of establishing Judicial review in Marbury vs. Madison. -
Marbury vs. Madison
This was the first case that was decided by John Marshall. Jefferson was President at the time and wanted to stop the Federalists who were appointed by John Adams from being in the Supreme Court. One of Adams' "midnight appointments" was William Marbury. In order to gain his spot in the supreme court he sued for his comission. After this case it was decided that the Supreme Court would excercise the power to decide wheather an act was constitutional. -
Fletcher vs. Peck
This case was about land fraud that occured in Georgia. In 1795 the state legislature of Georgia was bribed to sell 30 million acres for less than two cents per acre. Which would have been only $500,000. Then when new people were elected to office the land was not given to the people who had paid for it. The Supreme Court decided that a state could not pass legislation invalidating a contract. This was the first state law that was considered unconstitutional. -
Dartmouth College vs. Woodward
In 1819 New Hampshire made a law that changed Dartmouth from a private college to a public one. Not only did they change it to a public school buy they changed how the trustees were picked as well as their duties.. John Marshall, the Chief Justice at the time, said that this new law was unconstitutional. He said because of a charter from the King of England, issued in 1769, that the state could not change the charter. This made businesses more secure because states could'nt alter their charters. -
McCulloch vs. Maryland
In 1816 Congress made the second Bank of the United States. Then in 1818 Maryland passed a legislation that said the bank had to pay a tax. James McCollough refused to pay this tax. The Supreme Court decided that Congress was constitutionally allowed to have a bank, but Maryland couldnt tax them. -
Gibbons vs. Ogden
New York gave permission only to ceartain steamboats to operate on their waters.s. Out of state steamboats either had to pay very high fees or get a liscence to operate their steamboat in New York. The question was if these states had the right to regulate the interstate commerce. The Supreme Court ruled that New Yorks system for liscencing did not work with a congressiona act. In this case Marshall established the federal goverments control of interstat commerce regulations. -
Cherokee Nation vs. Georgia
The Cherokee Nation took this case to court because they said it deprived them of rights within its boundries. The Supreme Court ruled that they had no jusridicition on the matter because the Cherokees were an independant nation. This led to the Cherokees being removed on the path that lather is known as the Trail of Tears. -
Worcester vs. Georgia
In this case the Supreme Court decided that the Cherokees did have rights and the people of Georgia had to give them the rights their independent nation allowed them to have. This should have stopped the Government from vacating them with the Indian Removal Acts. However, it did not and the Cherokees as well as many other Native American Nations were led out of the home lands. -
Commonwealth vs. Hunt
This case started becuase the Boston Journeymen Bookmakers Society hired non-union members. Mr Hunt, one of the employers who hired them was then arrested and tried for conspiracy. However, when it went to the Supreme Court they ruled that they could establish labor unions.This was significant becuase the Supreme Court Justice decided that labor unions were allowed. -
Dred Scott vs. Stanford
Dred Scott was a slave from Missouri. However, he live in Illinois. Then wheen he moved back to Missouri they tried to make him a slave again. He complained that because he had lived in a free state that made him free. Those against him said that no one of African descent could be a citizen, and because he was a slave and not a ctitizen the Suprem Court denied him his freedom.
