To be completely honest, I am not as well-versed on the Supreme Court as I should be. As such a vital part of our government, I really should begin to stay updated and informed on the basics of our court. While reading Supreme Court History, I learnt a great deal of information about the Supreme Court that I previously did not know. One example is how Chief Justice Charles Evan Hughes made a huge impact on the freedom of speech and press. I like how the article explained that this was a time of transition for the court from being the protector or property rights to the protector of civil rights.
Chief Justice Charles Evan Hughes (1910-1916, 1930-1941)
I believe the most important take-away of this article and the Supreme Court as a whole, is recognizing that this branch has the power to check the actions of both the executive branch and legislative branch. If our country and government branches did not have checks and balances, branches would take advantage of their power and our government would be chaotic.
The most surprising piece of information that I learned throughout the article was that original six Supreme Court Justice's that Washington appointed did not actually hear any cases throughout their first term. The first term was primarily used for developing the rules and creating the foundation of the court.
The first six supreme court justices. Clockwise from top left: John Balir Jr., William Cushing, Robert Harrison, John Jay, John Rutledge, and James Wilson
Throughout my life, I have not given much attention to our supreme court. I always thought that this branch of government was so above me and that their decisions did not affect me. After the video and the article, I have learned that the Supreme Court does apply to me and does have a vital impact on me. I definitely am going to view the Supreme Court from a new perspective moving forward, and hope to stay up to date on current information.
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