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Marbury v Madison Summary
Date _____________________
Early Challenges Unit
Context: Marbury v Madison is considered the first landmark Supreme Court decision. After the case was ruled upon the power of the Supreme Court was permanently altered.
Background: As John Adams was ending his Presidency in 1801 he wanted the Federalist Party to have as much influence in the judicial branch as possible. Thomas Jefferson, the in- coming President, was a
Democratic- Republican who had different views on how to run the government. Adams made several
“Midnight Appointments” on the last day of his presidency but not all the nominees received their paperwork before the clock struck midnight and they never received their positions. Thomas Jefferson refused to deliver the paperwork and the Supreme Court would have to settle the political dispute.
Vocabulary: Define the following terms
1.
Supreme Court-
2.
Ruling-
3.
Landmark Decision-
4.
Judicial Review-
Research Questions: In the case Marbury v Madison complete the following on the back.
1.
Who was Madison and who was Marbury?
2.
How would Marbury’s lawyer use the Judiciary Act of 1789 to claim that President Jefferson had to have his Secretary of State, James Madison, deliver the paperwork to Marbury?
3.
Why would Madison’s lawyer argue that Jefferson did not have to send the paper work.
4.
Short-term results
5.
Long-term results