The 1803 case Marbury v. Madison established the principle of judicial review, giving the U.S. Supreme Court the authority to declare laws unconstitutional. This landmark case strengthened the role of the judiciary in interpreting the Constitution.
The 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868, provides for equal protection under the law and due process for all citizens. It has been the basis for many landmark civil rights cases, including Brown v. Board of Education and Roe v. Wade.
The U.S. Constitution, particularly through the Fourth Amendment, protects citizens' rights to privacy and against unreasonable searches and seizures. In modern times, debates about government surveillance often revolve around balancing these constitutional protections with the need for national security, as seen in cases involving the Patriot Act and surveillance programs.
The 1967 Supreme Court case Loving v. Virginia struck down state bans on interracial marriage, declaring them unconstitutional under the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause. This decision expanded civil rights and equality in the U.S.
The U.S. Constitution, especially the 14th and 15th Amendments, provided the legal foundation for the civil rights movement. Activists used constitutional principles to challenge segregation, voting rights discrimination, and other forms of institutional racism in landmark cases like Brown v. Board of Education and the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
