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Lesson Plan
iCivics

I Civics: Judicial Branch in a Flash!

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this lesson, learners 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...
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Primary
Cengage Learning

American Governemnt Documents Collection: Dred Scott vs. John f.a. Sandford

For Students 9th - 10th
This site provides a complete text of the 1857 Supreme Court decision in the case between Dred Scott and John F.A Sandford.
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Activity
PBS

Pbs: Dred Scott's Fight for Freedom (1846 1857)

For Students 9th - 10th
Provides information on Dred Scott and his fight for freedom, and the events leading up to the Supreme Court trial in 1857.
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Activity
Illinois Institute of Technology

Oyez Project: Harry A. Blackmun

For Students 9th - 10th
Links to biography, family and appointment information and to cases in which he participated while on the Supreme Court.
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Article
University of Groningen

American History: Essays: Impact of Dred Scott: The Decision

For Students 9th - 10th
Describes the difficult process the US Supreme Court judges went through in preparing their final decision in the Dred Scott case.
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Handout
Wikimedia

Wikipedia: Dred Scott v. Sandford

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from the Encyclopedia Wikipedia provides information on the Dred Scott case, as it progressed through the Missouri state court, the Federal court system, and the appeal that went to the Supreme Court.
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Lesson Plan
iCivics

I Civics: Judicial Review

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This lesson plan explores the case that established the power the Supreme Court has today. Learners will learn how the decision in Marbury v. Madison influenced the structure of the third branch, and how the Court's use of judicial...
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Website
Digital History

Digital History: Equality Postponed [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
Read the background of the controversial Supreme Court decision in the Plessy v Ferguson case. Follow the arguments for and against "separate but equal." [pdf]
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Article
University of Groningen

American History: Essays: Dred Scott: Dissenting Opinions and Reactions

For Students 9th - 10th
Describes the fallout after the Dred Scott decision by the US Supreme Court, where two judges released their dissenting opinions, newspaper articles both reviled and supported the decision, and public debate raged.
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Article
University of Groningen

American History: Essays: Impact of Dred Scott: The Road to Civil War

For Students 9th - 10th
After the Dred Scott decision by the US Supreme Court, the friction between the North and South over slavery escalated, and the North began to fear that they might not be able to prevent slavery from spreading into their states. The Dred...
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Primary
University of Chicago

The Founders' Constitution: Amendment V: Barron v. Baltimore

For Students 9th - 10th
Provides the opinion of the Supreme Court written by Chief Justice Marshall in the case of Barron v. Mayor of Baltimore.
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Handout
Cornell University

Cornell University: Law School: Grutter v. Bollinger

For Students 9th - 10th
U.S. Supreme Court's decision in the Grutter v. Bollinger case involving affirmative action.
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Handout
Illinois Institute of Technology

Oyez Project: William H. Rehnquist

For Students 9th - 10th
Links to biography, family and appointment information and to cases in which he participated while on the Supreme Court.
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Lesson Plan
iCivics

I Civics: Interpreting the Constitution

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Young scholars analyze real-life cases interpreting the 8th and 5th amendments to see whether they interpret the Bill of Rights the same way the Supreme Court did and discover how tricky interpreting the Constitution really is.
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Primary
US Department of Justice

Statement by Attorney General Reno on 35th Anniversary of Gideon v. Wainwright

For Students 9th - 10th
This press release outlines the impact the Gideon case has had on the legal system since its announcement by the Supreme Court in 1963.
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Website
Library of Congress

Loc: congress.gov: Constitution Annotated

For Students 9th - 10th
The Constitution is a living document. This annotated Constitution offers analysis and interpretation based on Supreme Court case law. This regularly updated document is easily searchable according to article, amendment, cases, laws held...
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Activity
Other

A Guide to Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier

For Students 9th - 10th
This site has A Complete Guide to the Supreme Court Decision for this Supreme Court case. It can be downloaded as a PDF file. The article explains many different aspects of the case, including What the Decision Says, What the Decision...
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Activity
Thomson Reuters

Find Law: Landmark Decisions

For Students 9th - 10th
This site details the controversial issues regarding slavery and the effects they had on the Civil War amendments as well as on the fifth amendment. The site discusses events such as the Dred Scott case, the addition of the Civil War...
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Activity
Harvard University

Harvard Law: Freedom of Speech and Anonymous Speech

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from Cyber Harvard Law offers summaries of three different Supreme Court cases which address the limits of free speech. Includes interactive opinion, multiple-choice questions. Links to the written opinions of the Court for...
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Article
Lectric Law Library

Proving Business Necessity: Disparate Impact

For Students 9th - 10th
A 1971 Supreme Court Case, "Griggs Decision" presents the higher court's decision and findings on the impact and assessing of legality of employment practices that create disparity.
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Primary
George Mason University

George Mason University: Between the Wars: Wwi and the Crusade for Conformity

For Students 9th - 10th
The text of 3 U.S. Supreme Court cases on Free Speech during WWI. These cases deal with literature criticising the U.S. involvement in WWI. Includes the text of the Espionage Act under which war protesters were arrested.
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Website
University of Michigan

University of Michigan Library: Digital Archive: Brown v. Board of Education

For Students 9th - 10th
A digital collection of materials outlining the famous Brown v. Board of Education case and the events that followed it. Covers Supreme Court cases and school desegregation issues and events.
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Primary
Cornell University

Cornell University: Law School: Lemon v. Kurtzman (1971)

For Students 9th - 10th
Offers the complete syllabus of the landmark Supreme Court case of Lemon v. Kurtzman. This case dealt with the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment and established the "Lemon test," which states that there be no excessive...
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Activity
University of Missouri

Exploring Constitutional Conflicts: Separation of Powers

For Students 9th - 10th Standards
When do the actions of one branch of the federal government unconstitutionally intrude upon the powers of another branch? This article surveys the history of this question in historic Supreme Court cases.

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