INTRO: For your first class assignment #4, you will need to show a good understanding of some of the readings/videos provided in pages of the last two modules. You are not required to do any additional readings for this week; instead, you will need to exhibit a good understanding of the cases presented in this module. This assignment is worth 100 points, so please spend some time working on it and submit it on time.
INSTRUCTIONS: For these questions, you can either answer them directly into Canvas or you can attach a document with your responses. This does not have to be essay-style answers, you can simply type #1 and then the answer. It is important that your answers reflect that you have read and understood the articles that are required for this assignment, and you MUST answer ALL parts of these questions.
For questions #1-#3, please refer to this week’s module, and please go into more depth than you did in your response to the discussion board:
1.) You were asked to find out information about an important Supreme Court case. Please discuss what you learned about one of them and how that case relates to material we discussed in class. Also, please provide some analysis of the case; meaning, what is the significance of the case and what impact might it have on our society, and if you were/are a Supreme Court justice, how would you have ruled on the case? Explain in detail.
2.) Please discuss what you learned about one of the other cases you examined and discuss how that case relates to material we discussed in class. Also, please provide some analysis of the case; meaning, what is the significance of the case and what impact might it have on our society, and if you were/are a Supreme Court justice, how would you have ruled on the case? Explain in detail.
3.) Please discuss what you learned about the third case and how that case relates to material we discussed in class. Also, please provide some analysis of the case; meaning, what is the significance of the case and what impact might it have on our society, and if you were/are a Supreme Court justice, how would you have ruled on the case? Explain in detail.
For question #4, please use your knowledge of both the week 15 and week 16 modules:
4.) The Supreme Court has often been called the least democratic part of our government. Why would someone make that argument about the Court? Do you agree that the Court is undemocratic? Why or why not? Additionally, please make an argument that the Supreme Court IS undemocratic and an argument that it IS NOT undemocratic. Basically, make an argument that the design of the Court is good and an argument that the design of the Court is flawed and needs to be improved. In your response, make sure you make some references to the material covered in the modules for week 15 and week 16 to support your arguments.
TURNING IT IN: Be sure to answer ALL the questions and fully explain your answers. You CANNOT copy and paste things directly from the internet into your assignment. You need to put what your read into your own words. The assignment, in total, should be AT LEAST 600 words long (each response should be at least 150 words). This should add up to approximately 3 pages, double-spaced, using Times New Roman font if using a word processor.
GRADING: This is out of 100 points. Please see the grading criteria
document for information on what I am looking for in grading your work.
1. Korematsu v. United States (1944)
Broad overview: This case relates to the controversial executive order issued by President Roosevelt in World War II. Remember from an earlier discussion, during WWII, President Roosevelt issued an order that essentially authorized the government to create internment camps and round-up people of Japanese descent to place in those camps because they were considered a threat to national security. This case was a challenge to that executive order and involves a man from San Leandro who purposefully disobeyed this order. Surely the Supreme Court would consider this executive order to be unconstitutional…right??? See below for the answer.
Your task: If this case sounds interesting, read/watch the material below. While you are reading/watching, be able to do the following
· Identify the important facts of the case; meaning, what is this case about? (More detailed than what I provided above.)
· What is the outcome of the case?
· What, in your opinion, is the significance of the case? What do you think about the outcome of the case?
1. https://www.uscourts.gov/educational-resources/educational-activities/facts-and-case-summary-korematsu-v-us
2. https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/korematsu-a-decision-that-will-live-in-infamy/
2. Roe v. Wade (1973)
Broad overview: This is one of the most famous Supreme Court cases of all time. The Roe v. Wade case was the decision that legalized abortion throughout the country. Prior to this decision, states had laws criminalizing and restricting access to abortions. An interesting aspect of this case is the role that privacy rights played in the Court’s decision and how the 14th amendment was used as justification for legalizing abortions. See below for more information on why the Court decided to overturn state laws which had made abortions illegal.
Your task: If this case sounds interesting, read/watch the material below. While you are reading/watching, be able to do the following
· Identify the important facts of the case; meaning, what is this case about? (More detailed than what I provided above.)
· What is the outcome of the case?
· What, in your opinion, is the significance of the case? What do you think about the outcome of the case?
Case information:
1. https://www.cnn.com/2013/11/04/us/roe-v-wade-fast-facts/index.html
2. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/roe-v-wade
3. https://www.vox.com/2019/5/10/18564436/ohio-abortion-bill-law-alabama-georgia-details
Interestingly, this case has been the source of some recent cases that are attempting at either changing the decision or at least weakening it:
3. Murphy v. NCAA (2018)
Brief overview: Are you a gambling man or woman?? Well, this case might interest you! Prior to 2018, sports gambling was very tightly restricted and regulated. In 1992, Congress passed a law outlawing state-based sports gambling, with the exception of the states of Nevada, Delaware, Oregon, and Montana. These states had already legalized gambling in their states before 1992. However, there were some states that thought this was unfair and infringed on their states’ right to make their own laws. Who won and what were the consequences? Find out below!
Your task: If this case sounds interesting, read/watch the material below. While you are reading/watching, be able to do the following
· Identify the important facts of the case; meaning, what is this case about? (More detailed than what I provided above.)
· What is the outcome of the case?
· What, in your opinion, is the significance of the case? What do you think about the outcome of the case?
Case information:
1. https://www.oyez.org/cases/2017/16-476
2. https://www.theregreview.org/2018/07/10/somin-federalism-comes-out-winner-murphy-v-ncaa/
4. Citizens United v. FEC (2010)
Broad overview: This incredibly important case deals with campaign finances. Prior to 2010, there were very specific restrictions and regulations on what businesses and corporations could do to help people who were running for office. Essentially, corporations were unable to spend money that helped someone get elected. A central question in this was “is it Constitutional to have these kinds of limits?” Another interesting question that comes from this case is “does the 1st Amendment protect corporations and does it also protect money?” See below for how the Supreme Court answered those questions.
Your task: If this case sounds interesting, read/watch the material below. While you are reading/watching, be able to do the following
· Identify the important facts of the case; meaning, what is this case about? (More detailed than what I provided above.)
· What is the outcome of the case?
· What, in your opinion, is the significance of the case? What do you think about the outcome of the case?
Case information:
1. https://www.oyez.org/cases/2008/08-205
2. https://www.britannica.com/event/Citizens-United-v-Federal-Election-Commission
3. http://www.cc.com/video-clips/u9n4jn/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart-supreme-corp
5. Trump v. Hawaii (2018)
Broad overview: This recent case deals with President Trump’s travel ban that was previously discussed. Again, this executive order dealt with the president’s desire to ban people from certain countries from entering the US. After the president issued this executive order a group of states, led by Hawaii, moved to block the executive order from being enforced on the grounds that they believed it violated the Constitution and was an abuse of presidential power. There was also the belief that the president was targeting these countries simply because they were Muslim-majority countries. See below for how the Supreme Court resolved this debate.
Your task: If this case sounds interesting, read/watch the material below. While you are reading/watching, be able to do the following
· Identify the important facts of the case; meaning, what is this case about? (More detailed than what I provided above.)
· What is the outcome of the case?
· What, in your opinion, is the significance of the case? What do you think about the outcome of the case?
Case information:
1. https://ballotpedia.org/Trump_v._Hawaii
2. https://www.vox.com/2018/6/26/17492410/travel-muslim-ban-supreme-court-ruling
6. Obergefell v. Hodges (2015)
Broad overview: This case deals with the issue of same-sex marriage. Prior to 2015, states were allowed to decide for themselves if they wanted to legalize same-sex marriage. Some states allowed it, and some states did not. However, there was a lot of debate over whether states should have this power and it created a complicated situation where people in some states could get married but people in other states could not. The central issue is whether this violated the Constitution, more specifically the Equal Protection clause in the 14th amendment. See below for how the Supreme Court answered that.
Your task: If this case sounds interesting, read/watch the material below. While you are reading/watching, be able to do the following
· Identify the important facts of the case; meaning, what is this case about? (More detailed than what I provided above.)
· What is the outcome of the case?
· What, in your opinion, is the significance of the case? What do you think about the outcome of the case?
Case information:
1. https://www.oyez.org/cases/2014/14-556
2. https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/576/14-556/
3. https://www.vox.com/2015/6/26/8851699/gay-marriage-scotus-decision-obergefell-v-hodges
7. Department of Commerce v. New York (2019)
Broad overview: This recently decided case deals with the Trump administration’s desire to place a question on the 2002 Census that asks about citizenship status (the Department of Commerce is the federal agency that oversees the census). The Trump administration maintains that this would be important and valuable information and will not be used for purposes of deportations, but many states, like New York, feared that this is a form of voter suppression and would lead to certain communities and states being undercounted.
Your task: If this case sounds interesting, read/watch the material below. While you are reading/watching, be able to do the following
· Identify the important facts of the case; meaning, what is this case about? (More detailed than what I provided above.)
· Do you agree with the outcome of the case?
· What, in your opinion, is the significance of the case and how might it have an impact on our society/government?
Case information:
1. https://www.vox.com/2019/4/23/18511060/supreme-court-census-citizenship-2020
2. https://www.vox.com/2019/6/27/18761016/supreme-court-census-citizenship-opinion-decision
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