Series
Across the US State by State
A History Minute with David Rubenstein
DK- 100 Events That Made History
DK - 100 People Who Made History
Episodes
Castle Bravo: The Largest Nuclear Explosion in US History
In 1954, the US Government conducted a series of secret nuclear tests in the Marshall Islands. The idyllic coral island Bikini Atoll became the epicentre of the largest nuclear test disaster in US history. The affects of radiation exposure and environmental destruction are still being felt by the Marshallese people today.
Gibbons v. Ogden
Gibbons v Ogden was a Supreme Court case dealing with interstate commerce. Learn about Aaron Ogden, who in 1824 received a monopoly over steamboat access to the Hudson River thanks to a newly created New York law in this Gibbons v Ogden summary. On the other hand, Thomas Gibbons held a federal license to operate his steamboat between New York and New Jersey. Gibbons won unanimously through his connection of the Interstate Commerce Clause and Supremacy Clause. New York’s law was overturned and Gibbons, along with other steamboat operators were able to participate in Interstate Commerce via waterways.
Marbury v. Madison: What is Judicial Review?
The U.S. Supreme Court decides if laws made in the United States violate the Constitution or not. It’s called judicial review and it’s a power that was granted to the Supreme Court by the Supreme Court itself – thanks to a landmark case in 1803, Marbury v. Madison.
Miranda v. Arizona: What are your Miranda Rights?
“You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.” Miranda rights are an essential part of any lawful arrest, thanks to a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision that changed the course of policing.
Schenck v. United States
Schenck v. United States was a Supreme Court Case that explained some limits to the Freedom of Speech afforded by the First Amendment. During World War I, the US instituted a military draft. Many people released anti-war and anti-government information due to their displeasure with the draft. Charles Schenck, an anti-war socialist, was arrested by the Federal Government for circulating a pamphlet encouraging men to resist the draft and violating the Espionage Act of 1917. The Supreme Court ruled that wartime circumstances changed the rules related to free speech and resulted in the “Clear and Present Danger” rule.
Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier: Free Speech in School
The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects the right to free speech. But when student journalists in Missouri wrote a series of articles on teen sex and divorce in 1983, their school appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court for the right to censor the content – and won.