#AP US Government & Politics: Supreme Court Cases Study Guide 🏛️

Hey there, future AP Gov rockstar! This guide is your ultimate cheat sheet for those crucial Supreme Court cases. Let's make sure you're not just memorizing, but understanding these landmark decisions. Time to turn that pre-exam anxiety into exam-day confidence! 💪

#Why These Cases Matter? 🤔

• FRQ #3 Gold: Your FRQ #3 will be a SCOTUS comparison essay. You'll need to know these cases inside and out.
• Multiple Choice Magic: These cases pop up all over the multiple-choice section too. Knowing them is like having a secret weapon! 🤫
• Deeper Understanding: These cases show how the Constitution is applied to real-world situations, making your understanding of government way more profound.

#Required Cases:

• Marbury v. Madison (1803)
• McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
• Schenck v. United States (1919)
• Brown v. Board of Education (1954)
• Engel v. Vitale (1962)
• Baker v. Carr (1962)
• Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)
• Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)
• New York Times Co. v. United States (1971)
• Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)
• Shaw v. Reno (1993)
• United States v. Lopez (1995)
• McDonald v. Chicago (2010)
• Citizens United v. FEC (2010)

#How to Approach Each Case

1. College Board Context: Why does the College Board think this case is important? (Hint: It's in their course description!) 🤓
2. Short Summary: What's the story behind the case? (Think mini-essay context!) ✍️
3. Date: Knowing the date can give you historical context (but don't stress about memorizing exact dates). 🗓️
4. Constitutional Issues: Which part of the Constitution is being debated? 🤔
5. Holding, Principle, & Opinion: What did the Court decide and why? (This is KEY!) 🔑

#Cases Involving Federalism ⚖️

College Board Context: “The balance of power between the national and state governments has changed over time based on US Supreme Court interpretation of (these) cases.”

#McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

• Short Summary: Maryland tried to tax the Second Bank of the US. The Bank's cashier, James McCulloch, refused to pay. Maryland argued the bank was unconstitutional.
• Constitutional Issues: Can Congress create a bank? Can states tax a federal entity?

• #Holdings and Principles:

- States cannot tax the federal government (**Supremacy Clause**). - ***Implied Powers***: Powers not directly stated in the Constitution but are “necessary and proper” to carry out the enumerated powers. Think of it as the government's ability to adapt to changing needs. 💡

#United States v. Lopez (1995)

• Short Summary: Alfonzo Lopez brought a gun to school, violating the Gun-Free School Zones Act. The feds said it was a commerce clause issue.
• Constitutional Issue: Does the Commerce Clause allow Congress to regulate guns in school zones?
• Holdings and Principles: The Court said NO! Possessing a gun in a school zone doesn't substantially affect interstate commerce. This case reaffirmed the Tenth Amendment and state's rights. 🗽
• Straight from the AP US Government Course Description: this case “(introduced) a new phase of federalism that recognized the importance of state sovereignty and local control.”

#Cases Involving the First Amendment 🗣️

College Board Context: “Provisions of the US Constitution’s Bill of Rights are continually being interpreted to balance the power of the government and the civil liberties of individuals.”

#Engel v. Vitale (1962)

• Short Summary: New York schools had a voluntary prayer at the start of the day. Some groups sued, arguing it violated the Constitution.
• Constitutional Issue: Does a voluntary, non-denominational prayer in public schools violate the Establishment Clause?
• Holdings and Principles: Yes! School-sponsored prayer is unconstitutional, even if voluntary. 🚫
• Main Idea? School sponsorship of religious activities = violation of first amendment

#Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972)

• Short Summary: Amish parents refused to send their kids to school after 8th grade, violating Wisconsin law.
• Constitutional Issue: Does requiring school attendance violate the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment?
• Holdings and Principles: Yes! The Court sided with the Amish parents, saying the free exercise of religion outweighs the state's interest in mandatory education beyond 8th grade. 🙏

#Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)

• Short Summary: Students wore black armbands to protest the Vietnam War. The school suspended them.
• Constitutional Issue: Does banning armbands violate students' freedom of speech?
• Holdings and Principles: Yes! Students have free speech rights at school as long as it doesn't cause a substantial disruption. 🧑‍🎓
• Majority Opinion: “Students don’t shed their rights at the schoolhouse gate.”

#New York Times Co. v. United States (1971)

• Short Summary: The Nixon admin tried to block the NYT from publishing the Pentagon Papers (Vietnam War info).
• Constitutional Issue: Is preventing publication (prior restraint) a violation of the freedom of the press?
• Holdings and Principles: Yes! The Court established a “heavy presumption against prior restraint,” even for national security. 📰

#Schenck v. United States (1919)

• Short Summary: Charles Schenck distributed leaflets urging people to resist the WWI draft. He was charged with violating the Espionage Act.
• Constitutional Issue: Did the Espionage Act violate the First Amendment's freedom of speech?
• Holdings and Principles: No! Free speech is not absolute. Speech that creates a “clear and present danger” is not protected. 🗣️

#Cases Involving Selective Incorporation 🛡️

College Board Context: “Protections of the Bill of Rights have been selectively incorporated by way of the Fourteenth Amendment’s due process clause to prevent state infringement of basic liberties.”

#Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

• Short Summary: Clarence Gideon was denied a lawyer in a Florida state court. He argued that this violated his rights.
• Constitutional Issue: Does the Sixth Amendment's right to counsel apply to state court felony cases?
• Holdings and Principles: Yes! The right to counsel is fundamental and must be incorporated to the states via the Fourteenth Amendment. ⚖️

#Roe v. Wade (1973) (Not Required, but Important!)

• Short Summary: Jane Roe wanted an abortion but couldn't get one legally in Texas.
• Constitutional Issue: Does the Constitution protect a woman's right to an abortion?
• Holdings and Principles: Yes! The Court ruled that a woman's right to an abortion is protected by the right to privacy (through the 14th Amendment). This case expanded the definition of privacy. 🤰

#McDonald v. Chicago (2010)

• Short Summary: Chicago had a handgun ban. Suits were filed after DC v. Heller.
• Constitutional Issue: Does the Second Amendment right to bear arms apply to the states?
• Holdings and Principles: Yes! The right to self-defense is fundamental, and the 2nd Amendment is incorporated to the states via the Fourteenth Amendment. 🔫

#Cases Involving the Equal Protection Clause 🤝

College Board Context: “The Fourteenth Amendment’s equal protection clause as well as other constitutional provisions have often been used to support the advancement of equality.”

#Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

• Short Summary: African American students were denied admission to public schools due to segregation laws.
• Constitutional Issue: Is racial segregation in public schools a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment?
• Holdings and Principles: Yes! “Separate but equal is inherently unequal.” Segregation of public schools is unconstitutional. This case reversed Plessy v. Ferguson. 🏫
• Judicial Review: The Supreme Court can reverse previous rulings.
• Stare Decisis: The principle that current courts should look to previous decisions for interpretation, will not always be upheld.
• Enforced?: The Court ordered desegregation "with all deliberate speed