US Law and Government

Lyndon B. Johnson pushed through the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. This landmark legislation ended segregation in public places and banned employment discrimination.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954) overturned the Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) decision, which had established the 'separate but equal' doctrine.

Schenck v. United States (1919) established that civil liberties could be restricted during wartime if they posed a clear and present danger to the nation. Justice Holmes used the example that falsely shouting fire in a crowded theatre could be regulated, creating a precedent for limiting free speech in emergencies.

The Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930 raised U.S. tariffs on over 20,000 imported goods to record levels, making it the highest protective tariff in American history.

The 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibited the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors, effectively starting the Prohibition era.

The Sherman Antitrust Act was designed to prevent businesses from forming trusts or monopolies that restrained trade or commerce among states.

The Dawes Act aimed to assimilate Native Americans by breaking up tribal lands into individual allotments, similar to how the Homestead Act encouraged individual land ownership for settlers.

John Marshall established the principle of judicial review in Marbury v. Madison (1803), which gave the Supreme Court the power to declare laws unconstitutional. This decision significantly strengthened the judicial branch by making it a co-equal branch with the power to check Congress and the President. While McCulloch v. Maryland later reinforced federal supremacy, Marbury was the foundational case.

Washington asserted executive privilege when he refused to provide the House of Representatives with documents related to the negotiations of the Jay Treaty, arguing that the House did not have a constitutional role in treaty-making.

The Hartford Convention led to the downfall of the Federalist Party because its secessionist talks and demands appeared unpatriotic after the American victory at the Battle of New Orleans. The convention's timing and aims made the Federalists seem disloyal during wartime, causing them to lose credibility nationwide. The party never recovered and soon dissolved as a national political force.

The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, adopted in 1639, are often considered the first written constitution in the American colonies, establishing a framework for government.

The Mayflower Compact was a social contract signed by the Pilgrims in 1620 to establish a self-governing colony. It created a legal framework based on the consent of the governed, which was essential for maintaining order in the new settlement.

The Federalist Papers were a series of essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay to persuade the public and the states to ratify the proposed U.S. Constitution.

Article I, Section 7 of the Constitution outlines the legislative process, requiring the president to either sign or veto bills passed by both houses of Congress. The other options describe powers not granted to the president by the Constitution.