Synopses & Reviews
Supreme Decisions: Great Constitutional Cases and Their Impact, Volumes 1 and 2, covers twenty-four Supreme Court cases (twelve per volume) that have shaped American constitutional law. Interpretive chapters shed light on the nuances of each case, the individuals involved, and the social, political, and cultural context at that particular moment in history. Discussing cases from nearly every decade in a two-hundred-year span, Melvin I. Urofsky expounds on the political climate of the United States from the countrys infancy through the new millennium. Featuring
Marbury v. Madison, Dred Scott v. Sandford, Miranda v. Arizona, Brown v. Board of Education, and many more, this text covers foundational rulings and more recent decisions. Written with students in mind, Melvin I. Urofskys voice offers compelling and fascinating accounts of American legal milestones.
Supreme Decisions can be purchased as a single combined volume or conveniently split into two volumes, providing a breadth of information for survey courses in U.S. Constitutional History.
Review
This is a terrific book. It succeeds in placing each case in historical perspective and in bringing to life the individuals who were involved. Urofsky is thoughtful, fair-minded, and balanced, and yet does not hesitate to offer his own judgment about the cases and the decisions. Superbly well done.”
Richard Polenberg, Cornell University
The writing is very accessible and Urofsky shows that real people with often complex histories are involved in Supreme Court cases.”
John E. Semonche, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
[Urofskys] engaging narrative highlights details about the cases that are often overlooked [and]
his unique analysis integrates historical fact, political assessment, and legal reasoning in a way that should inform and fascinate court novices as well as veteran constitutional scholars.
Perhaps most importantly, Urofskys discussion explains the impact of the Courts decisions on the litigants and lawyers, the political and legal systems, and the culture and nation at large.
Highly recommended.”
Choice
Synopsis
Compellingly written, accessible, and interpretive, Melvin I. Urofsky’s stories of major Supreme Court cases and the impact of each ruling on American constitutional law make a readable book for every student.
About the Author
Melvin I. Urofsky is professor emeritus of history at Virginia Commonwealth University. He is the author of numerous books, including the award-winning
Louis D. Brandeis: A Life. Table of Contents
Volume 1: To 1896
C h a p t e r o n e
The Case of the Disappointed Office-Seeker:
Marbury v. Madison (1803)
C h a p t e r t w o
The Case of the Larcenous Cashier:
MCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
C h a p t e r t h r e e
The Case of the Rival Steamboat Operators:
Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)
C h a p t e r f o u r
The Case of the Missionary to the Cherokee:
Worcester v. Georgia (1832)
C h a p t e r f i v e
The Case of the Zealous Slave Catcher:
Prigg v. Pennsylvania (1842)
C h a p t e r s i x
The Case of the Slave Who Would Be Free:
Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)
C h a p t e r s e v e n
The Case of the Antiwar Agitator:
Ex parte Milligan (1866)
C h a p t e r e i g h t
The Case of the New Orleans Butchers: The
Slaughterhouse Cases (1873)
C h a p t e r n i n e
The Case of the Woman Who Wanted to Be a Lawyer:
Bradwell v. Illinois (1873)
C h a p t e r t e n
The Case of the Devout Bigamist:
Reynolds v. United States (1879)
C h a p t e r e l e v e n
The Case of the Reluctant Strike Leader:
In re Debs (1895)
C h a p t e r t w e l v e
The Case of the Almost-White Traveler:
Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
Volume 2: Since 1896
C h a p t e r t w e l v e
The Case of the Almost-White Traveler:
Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
C h a p t e r t h i r t e e n
The Case of the Stubborn Baker:
Lochner v. New York (1905)
C h a p t e r f o u r t e e n
The Case of the Gentle Anarchist:
Abrams v. United States (1919)
C h a p t e r f i f t e e n
The Case of the High-Tech Bootlegger:
Olmstead v. United States (1928)
C h a p t e r s i x t e e n
The Four Horsemens Last Ride:
The New Deal Cases (1930s)
C h a p t e r s e v e n t e e n
The Case of the Conscientious Schoolchildren:
The Flag-Salute Cases (1940 and 1943)
C h a p t e r e i g h t e e n
The Case of Too-Long-Delayed Equality:
Brown v. Board of Education (1954 and 1955)
C h a p t e r n i n e t e e n
The Case of the Robust Press:
New York Times v. Sullivan (1964)
C h a p t e r t w e n t y
The Case of the Uninformed Rapist:
Miranda v. Arizona (1966)
C h a p t e r t w e n t y o n e
The Case That Aroused Great Passions:
Roe v. Wade (1973)
C h a p t e r t w e n t y t w o
Coming Out of the Closet and into the Courts:
The Gay Rights Cases (19862003)
C h a p t e r t w e n t y t h r e e
The Constitution Besieged:
The War on Terror Cases (2000s)
Constitution of the United States
Glossary
Index