Students learn about the landmark case McCulloch v. Maryland, in which the Supreme Court clarified what kinds of actions Congress can take under the "necessary and proper" clause. Students find out what events led to this case, look at...

This book analyzes 30 Supreme Court cases chosen by a group of Supreme Court justices and leading civics educators as the most important for American citizens to understand. An additional 100 significant cases included in state history...

Learn about the judicial branch of the federal government, how the organization of the federal judiciary is determined, the functions and responsibilities of the Supreme Court, and features of the judicial process.

In this video segment from The Supreme Court, learn about the 1883 Supreme Court decision that marked the end of federal protections for individuals in states and the beginning of Jim Crow segregation.

At the period of the American Revolution, Rhode Island did not, like the other States, adopt a new constitution, but continued the form of government established by the Charter of Charles the Second, making only such alterations, by acts...

Explore the issues surrounding the U.S. Supreme Court case related to medical marijuana use. Make conclusions on how the proposed law could jeopardize all federal drug laws and whether this should be a federal or state issue.

This mini-lesson covers the basics of the Supreme Court's decision that interpreted the Commerce and Supremacy Clauses of the U.S. Constitution and affirmed the federal government's superiority with regard to its enumerated powers....

Learn about this landmark Supreme Court case on the issues of federal power and commerce. Provides an image of a document from the case files and a transcript of the opinion delivered in 1819 by Chief Justice John Marshall.

Students will analyze specified passages from the Supreme Court's decision in United States v. Libellants of Schooner Amistad to explore the concept of jurisdiction and how a case travels through the federal court system.

In this lesson, students learn the basics of our judicial system, including the functions of the trial court, the Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Court. They also learn how a case moves up through these levels and discover that these...

In the spring of 1842, Rhode Island had two governors and two legislatures. One government was committed to retaining the old colonial charter, which severely limited voting rights, as the state's constitution. The other government, led...

If you are interested in being an attorney, corrections officer, court reporter, forensic scientist, police officer, judge or government agent, check out this description of several legal careers. Learn about salary, required education,...

Many problems existed for the new United States. Read about issues facing George Washington as the new President, and find out about the major successes of the first Congress. [PDF]

The new United States had no blueprint to follow in establishing a new democratic government. Read about the challenges facing the new nation, and how it dealt with ways to make the government work.

The anti-trust case against Standard Oil, based on the Sherman Antitrust Act, pitted the federal government against the largest corporation in the United States. Read the trial preparation information including the arguments of the...

In 2000, Enron was the darling of Wall Street, the largest seller of natural gas in North America, the fifth largest corporation in the United States, and the nation's "most innovative" large company (according to Fortune magazine). By...

The preamble is the introduction to the Constitution. It outlines the general goals of the framers: to create a just government and to ensure peace, adequate national defense, and a healthy, free nation. With its first three words, "We...

The California Supreme Court held that limiting marriage to opposite-sex couples violated the California Constitution; state voters then passed a ballot initiative, Proposition 8, amending the state constitution to define marriage as a...

When state and local authorities fail to uphold the Federal Court orders for integration at Central High School, President Dwight D. Eisenhower sent in federal troops to enforce those orders. Using an array of photos and primary source...