Reference no: EM132636199
One of the themes of this course is the role of the U.S. Constitution, and how it is interpreted by the courts, on American culture and society. Rights we take for granted, such as where we can eat, where we can live, and who we can marry were defined by judicial decisions interpreting this document.
The United States Supreme Court is "the highest court in the land." Later on in this course, we will study its legal role in determining what is constitutional and what is not. However, looking beyond the legal technicalities (which are important), the Supreme Court is often called upon to make decisions that reverberate far outside the courtroom.
Beginning this week, every two weeks you will asked to examine an actual Supreme Court decision, discuss what part of the U.S. Constitution forms the legal basis for the case, and how the issues of the case and the decision affect life here in America.
The first such case we will examine is Brown v. Board of Education, decided in 1954. Please conduct your own independent research into this case.
-What were the basic issues or controversies of the case?
-What was the Constitutional violation being alleged by those bringing the lawsuit?
-What case was being overruled by this decision? Why was this significant?
-What impact does this decision have on life in America?