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Quiz about Supreme Court Cases Worth Knowing

Supreme Court Cases Worth Knowing Quiz

Only a select few cases see the inner sanctum of the greatest courtroom in the U.S. These cases are among the most important desicions ever.

A multiple-choice quiz by Rynski. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
Rynski

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
224,857

Updated
Dec 27 22

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
758

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. (1803) Marbury v. Madison used a notion of "judicial review" for the first time, meaning the Court could decide if a law was unconstitutional. Why was this so important? Hint

The President, Thomas Jefferson, influenced the Court to do just that.

It was the first step in uniting the country under one set of laws.

Congress tried to pass a law they knew would be unpopular.

The Constitution does not give the Court the power of judicial review.

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Question 2 of 10

2. (1857) Dred Scott v. Sanford involved a slave suing his "former" master, claiming he was free when they moved to a free state, Illinois, then to the Minnesota Territory, where slavery was forbidden. Why was the petition denied? Hint

The case took too long to decide, so it was denied by default.

Dred Scott was lynched before the Court ruled.

The antebellum South used undue influence on Congress and the President.

The Court claimed that blacks were not citizens and could therefore not sue.

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Question 3 of 10

3. (1918) Hammer v. Dagenhart overturned a Congressional act that was designed to limit what? Hint

Distillation of alcohol

Political donations

Monopolization of industry

Child labor

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Question 4 of 10

4. (1919) Commonly referred to as the most important right from the Bill of Rights, the freedom of speech is often the last defense for many subversives and radicals. Schenck v. United States did what to it? Hint

Temporarily allowed prosecution for distribution of pamphlets about WWI.

Weakened it by limiting allowable speech against the government.

Invoked the "clear and present danger" test to determine protection.

Strengthened it by supporting a known Klan member against inciting a riot charges.

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Question 5 of 10

5. (1954) Brown v. Board Of Education of Topeka overturned the Court's own decision of "separate but equal" from what other famous case, dating 1896? Hint

Harpton v. Virginia

McCulloch v. Maryland

Plessy v. Ferguson

Bader v. Blackmun

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Question 6 of 10

6. (1962) Baker was a disgruntled voter, Carr an election official in Tennessee. Baker v. Carr dealt with the 14th Amendment and discriminatory election districts. What happened as a result? Hint

Gerrymandering was declared unconstitutional.

Minorities lost all chances at political power.

Special interest groups in rural areas gained more power.

Districts were redrawn, shifting voting power from the country to the cities

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Question 7 of 10

7. (1966) Not everyone always knew they had the right to remain silent and all that. Not until this case, in which Ernesto Miranda was convicted without his knowledge of a right to counsel. The case was Miranda v. what state? Hint

Arizona

California

Florida

Texas

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Question 8 of 10

8. (1966) A book named "John Cleland's Memoirs Of A Woman Of Pleasure v. Massachusetts" was all about obscenity. For 10 years, to be obscene a work had to 1) appeal to prurient interest, 2) be patently offensive, and 3) have no redeeming social value. What did this decision do? Hint

Lessened the strict standards by removing the last of the three criteria.

Claim that most works did, in fact, have some redeeming value, and therefore were not obscene.

Gave the control over to communities.

Eased obscenity standards by allowing distribution of all materials.

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Question 9 of 10

9. (1972) Furman v. Georgia outlawed capital punishment, kind of. Due to several factors, including discriminatory application and vague criteria for application, the Court confused the entire mess until what happened? Hint

A second case led to the re-adoption of the death penalty.

States designed their own laws to get around the Court.

Congress passing a law allowing the death penalty.

The President filling the courts with pro-capital punishment judges.

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Question 10 of 10

10. (1978) U. California Regents v. Allen Bakke was the Court's first Affirmative Action case. Bakke was denied admission to med school twice. Why did Bakke take his case to the Court? Hint

He was white with a low GPA, but blamed the minority quotas

He was white with a high GPA, but was passed over due to minority quotas

He was black with a low GPA, but felt he should get in due to the quotas

He was black with a high GPA, but felt the quotas caused others to see him as unintelligent.

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. (1803) Marbury v. Madison used a notion of "judicial review" for the first time, meaning the Court could decide if a law was unconstitutional. Why was this so important?

Answer: The Constitution does not give the Court the power of judicial review.

Without this decision by Chief Justice John Marshall, it is possible that the system of checks and balances would not work at all. The Court gave this power to itself.

Answer: The Court claimed that blacks were not citizens and could therefore not sue.

While the Court took a vast amount of time deciding, it did so in pre-Civil War America. The Court itself had a majority of justices amenable to the South, including Chief Justice Taney.

3. (1918) Hammer v. Dagenhart overturned a Congressional act that was designed to limit what?

Answer: Child labor

The Court tried to keep the government from restricting business policies, which included using children under 14 in factories. FDR disapproved, which led to his packing the Court with social reformists, which led (eventually) to the welfare state.

Answer: Invoked the "clear and present danger" test to determine protection.

Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes issued one of the most famous - and quoted - statements with this case: "The most stringent protection of free speech would not protect a man falsely shouting fire in a theatre and causing panic"

5. (1954) Brown v. Board Of Education of Topeka overturned the Court's own decision of "separate but equal" from what other famous case, dating 1896?

Answer: Plessy v. Ferguson

Although segregation wouldn't end for three or so more years, Brown v. BOE started the movement. Thurgood Marshall was the NAACP lawyer for the trial, later becoming the Court's first black Justice.

6. (1962) Baker was a disgruntled voter, Carr an election official in Tennessee. Baker v. Carr dealt with the 14th Amendment and discriminatory election districts. What happened as a result?

Answer: Districts were redrawn, shifting voting power from the country to the cities

In actuality, gerrymandering was legitimized by this ruling, Chief Justice Warren's most important.

Answer: Arizona

The Miranda rights are named after him, and he was set free of his rape conviction, even with a confession. Oddly enough, he was guilty, retried with new evidence, convicted again, and served time before being stabbed to death in a bar while on parole.

Answer: Claim that most works did, in fact, have some redeeming value, and therefore were not obscene.

Only after years of obscenity cases did the Court turn over control to local zoning laws and community standards.

Answer: States designed their own laws to get around the Court.

After 3 years, the Court could only find one state whose laws were unconstitutional. Eventually, Gary Gilmore demanded the state of Utah execute him, breaking the proverbial ice.

10. (1978) U. California Regents v. Allen Bakke was the Court's first Affirmative Action case. Bakke was denied admission to med school twice. Why did Bakke take his case to the Court?

Answer: He was white with a high GPA, but was passed over due to minority quotas

Bakke claimed reverse discrimination. The Court, puzzlingly, sided with both the need for Affirmative Action and Bakke's right to get into med school. Which really wasn't a decision at all.

Source: Author Rynski

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