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John Jay
John Jay was a very important political figure. He lived from December 12, 1745 to May 17, 1829. He served in the First Continental Congress and was the First Justice of the Supreme Court.
Singificance: He was a negotiator in the Jay tready and an important factor in the First Continental Congress. He also authored The Federalists Papers. -
John Marshall
A captain of the Contiental Army during the Revolutionary War and a political figure. He served as Supreme Justice. Dies July 6th, 1835
Significance: He had a leading role in the Virgina convention in proposing the Constitution of the United States. -
Supreme Court Established
With the Ratification of the U.S. Contitiution came many laws. Article 3 of the U.S. Constitution established and set up the highest court in the land, the Supreme Court.
Significance: The Supreme Court still rules today as the highest court in the U.S. -
Marbury v. Madison
Coming into office, Jefferson tried to block Federalist appointments. He told Madison not to deliever the commissions to the Federalist judges. Marbury sued for his commission. Significance: This case forms the idea of juditial review. It was the first time a federal law was called 'unconstitutional'. -
Fletcher v. Peck
A case involving land fraud in Georgia. Marshall said that a state could not pass legislation invalidating a contract.
Significance: First state law to be declared unconstitutional. -
Dartmouth College v. Woodward
A law in New Hampshire that changed Dartmouth College from a privately chartered college into a public school. It was called unconstitutional becase the private corporation could not be altered by state.
Significance: Another law the be declared unconstitutuional. -
McCulloch v. Maryland
The state of Maryland tried to collect a tax on the Second Bank of the United States. The law was declared unconstitutional because Marshall said a state did not have the power to tax a federal institution.
Significance: Showed that federal laws ruled over state laws. -
Gibbons v. Ogden
Ruled the New York granting a monopoly to a steamboat company was unconstitutionsl.
Significance: Establishes federal government's control of interstate commerce. -
Cherokee Nation v. Georgia
Georgia tried to remove Cherokee from their lands. Supreme Court refused to hear out the case, ruling them not a foreign nation.
Significance: Left Cherokee in mercy of Georgis, led to the Trail of Tears. -
Worcester v. Georgia
Ruled that the Georgia laws had no effect inside the boundries on the Cherokee Territory.
Significance: Settled the dispute until Jackson left office, then the Cherokee were forced to leave. -
Commonwealth v. Hunt
Supreme Court ruled that "peaceful unions" had the right to nogotiate labor contracts with imployers.
Significance: Helped further organized labor by legalizing trade oranizations. -
Dred Scott v. Sanford
Scott argued that his time on free soil deemed him a free man. He sued for him freedom, but was turned down. They said the Constitution said a black man could not be a U.S. citizen, and since slaves were property, slavery could not be excluded. But because of the Missouri Compromise the law was unconstitutional.
Significance: Tension between parties and slavery ideals sparks ever more.
