The Founding Era

 

The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest judicial system in the country, tasked with knowing the Constitution through and through, making sure that our laws and policies observe the Constitution and its amendments.

What did you learn about the Supreme Court that you didn’t already know?

One thing I learned about the Supreme Court is that it didn’t have a permanent home until the year 1935. For nearly 150 years after its establishment in 1789, the court met in many different locations, including the U.S. Capitol and even a basement chamber. 

What is the most important take-away point about the Supreme Court?

One key takeaway from the video is that the Supreme Court serves as the highest authority in the United States government. It hears cases related to the Constitution and has the power to strike down laws that are deemed unconstitutional. This ensures that all laws align with the nation's founding principles.

What was the most surprising thing you learned?

The thing I found the most surprising was by the number of cases received compared to the number considered by the court. The Supreme Court receives over a hundred new cases every week and about 7,000 a year, most of these arriving as petitions for certiorari. Of the approximate 7,000, the court only accepts about a hundred of them for full consideration each year. Newly arrived petitions and written arguments in cases that have already been accepted are sent to the justices one time a week. This surprised me because I thought a hundred was very few compared to the thousands of cases received yearly. 

How did the video change the way you thought about the Supreme Court?

After watching the video, it didn’t really change much on how I thought about the Supreme Court and was kind of a reflection on what I already knew from past classes in high school. The only thing that really stuck out to me was finding out how many cases they typically receive every week.