Saving the Court: A Millennial Civics Lesson

Citizenship requires an understanding of how government works, particularly the poorly covered and oft-maligned judicial branch. Few people have ever read the pro-ratification Federalist Papers or even the U.S. Constitution itself. In light of the short shrift given to civics in secondary school instruction these days, and the raging bias in the conventional news media, it is more important than ever that Americans develop a basic knowledge of the Supreme Court—its composition, operations, and function. Since the landmark decision Marbury v. Madison (1803), the Court has exercised the sometimes-controversial power of judicial review to enforce the provisions of the Constitution.