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Lesson Plan
University of California

History Project: Fdr and Courtpacking

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This lesson provides the background for the decision by President Roosevelt to attempt to expand the number of Supreme Court justices from nine to twelve. Students are to use sections from provided primary source documents to analyze the...
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Activity
Illinois Institute of Technology

Oyez Project: Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

For Students 9th - 10th
The U.S. Supreme Court case that upheld the famous "separate but equal" doctrine by dealing with the issues of racial discrimination and equal protection. This resource provides an abstract containing a concise summary and a link to the...
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Activity
Illinois Institute of Technology

Oyez Project: Schenck v. United States (1919)

For Students 9th - 10th
This U.S. Supreme Court case established the famous "clear and present danger" doctrine by dealing with the issue of freedom of speech. This resource provides an abstract containing a summary, a link to the full text of the decision, and...
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Activity
Illinois Institute of Technology

Oyez Project: Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka

For Students 9th - 10th
The U.S. Supreme Court case that overturned Plessy v. Ferguson and dealt with the issues of equal protection and racial discrimination. This resource provides an abstract containing a concise summary, a link to the full text of the...
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Activity
Illinois Institute of Technology

Oyez Project: Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)

For Students 9th - 10th
This U.S. Supreme Court case dealt with the issues of slavery, citizenship, and property rights. It is detailed with an abstract providing a concise summary and a record of the justices that sat on the Court at that time.
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Activity
Illinois Institute of Technology

Oyez: Schechter Poultry Corp. V. United States (1935)

For Students 9th - 10th
This U.S. Supreme Court case declared the National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA) of the New Deal illegal because of the issue of separation of powers. The 'Case Basics' links have documents and more information from the court case.
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Handout
Illinois Institute of Technology

Oyez Project: Marbury v. Madison (1803)

For Students 9th - 10th
The U.S. Supreme Court case that established the precedent for judicial review is detailed, with an abstract providing a concise summary and a record of the justices that sat on the court at that time.
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Handout
Illinois Institute of Technology

Oyez Project: Mc Culloch v. Maryland (1819)

For Students 9th - 10th
The Supreme Court ruling in this landmark case declared that states could not tax federal institutions.
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Activity
Curated OER

National Park Service: Brown v. Board of Education

For Students 9th - 10th
The National Park Service provides backgroud on the historic U.S. Supreme Court racial segregation case, Brown vs. Board of Education. Includes a link to a PDF on related historical places (requires Adobe Reader).
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Article
Siteseen

Siteseen: American Historama: Brown vs Board of Education

For Students 9th - 10th
Comprehensive overview and detailed facts about Brown vs Board of Education, a 1954 Supreme Court case won by NAACP lawyer Thurgood Marshall against school segregation.
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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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Handout
Other

Lacba: Dueling Federalisms

For Students 9th - 10th
Article examining rulings by the Supreme Court and Chief William Rehnquist over the meaning of the Tenth Amendment. The author contends that Supreme Court decisions have favored states' rights over federal rights, and cites several cases...
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Website
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: The Fourteenth Amendment Part Ii

For Students 9th - 10th
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.
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Lesson Plan
Constitutional Rights Foundation

Constitutional Rights Foundation: Gibbons v. Ogden (1824): The Meaning of the Commerce Clause [Pdf]

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Lesson on the Constitution in which learners study and analyze the Commerce Clause and the Supreme Court decision in Gibbons v. Ogden. Questions for discussion and guidelines for class activity provided.
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Article
Virginia Historical Society

Virginia Historical Society: Massive Resistance

For Students 9th - 10th
A chilling account of the ways Virginia lawmakers attempted to subvert the Supreme Court decision in Brown v Board of Education in 1958. Read about the Southern Manifesto, and the group of laws known as Massive Resistance.
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Primary
NBC

Nbc Learn: Finishing the Dream

For Students 9th - 10th
A collection of over one hundred archival video clips highlighting significant events in the history of the Civil Rights Movement since the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision in 1954. There are ten collections covering...
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Lesson Plan
National Endowment for the Humanities

Neh: Edsit Ement: John Marshall, Marbury v. Madison, and Judicial Review

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this lesson plan, students will consider "John Marshall, Marbury v. Madison, and Judicial Review-How the Court Became Supreme." The plan includes worksheets and other student materials that can be found under the resource tab.
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Activity
University of Missouri

Exploring Constitutional Conflicts: Separate but Equal

For Students 9th - 10th
This site gives an interesting look at the idea of "Separate but Equal" and the court's eventual reversal of its decision on it.
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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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Handout
Other

Northwest Arkansas Community College: Landmark Cases: Engle v. Vitale

For Students 9th - 10th
At this site, you can read either the full opinion or just areas of the decision of the Supreme Court case of Engle v. Vitale which ruled on the constitutionality of school prayers.
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Article
FOX News

Fox News: High Court Has Split Decision on Affirmative Action

For Students 9th - 10th
Fox News analyzes the Gratz and Grutter cases and what it means for affirmative action in this June, 2003, report.
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Website
Digital History

Digital History: The Disputed Election of 2000

For Students 9th - 10th
Online summary of the dispute over the presidential election of 2000 and the outcome.
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Khan Academy

Khan Academy: Balancing Minority and Majority Rights

For Students 9th - 10th
This resource from Khan Academy provides practice questions over balancing minority and majority rights. These questions are intended for students taking high school or college level American Government and Civics courses, including the...
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Website
CNN

Cnn: How We Got Here: A Timeline of the Florida Recount

For Students 9th - 10th
Very informative timeline that thoroughly explains the events surrounding the disputed Presidential Election of 2000. In particular, this article effectively chronicles the controversy in Florida. 12/2000