Congress created National Constitution and Citizenship Day (9/17) as a way to ensure that tomorrow's citizens, our students, will continue to understand and value the Constitution as the guarantor of the individual rights and freedoms American citizens enjoy.

The Constitution has always been challenged by government efforts to suspend individual rights when dealing with major events such as wars, riots, and economic disasters like the Great Depression. The Constitution gives the Supreme Court of the U.S. the final say on the balance between individual and societal rights, but historically it has moved toward individual rights, in cases involving women's suffrage; civil rights, and reproductive issues, such as Roe v Wade.

Activity: Students can explore some of the most significant decisions in Supreme Court history in the 20th century to discover how the Court has changed and can change its perspective on laws that favor individual vs. societal rights (government) over time. Here are some pathfinders for topics that relate to the rulings of the Supreme Court.

Click the Decades icon and click the following topics:

• The 1910s: Income Tax -- What was the ruling of the Supreme Court and why did it change later?
• The 1930s: Supreme Court and the New Deal -- Use the DBQ and "So What" for activities
• The 1950s: Race and Ethnic Relations -- What was the role of the Supreme Court on this issue over time?
• The 1960s: The Warren Court -- What direction did the Warren Court take on individual vs. societal rights?
• The 1970s: Civil Rights -- What was the Court's position on Civil Rights and what was its rationale in at least two cases?
• The 1970s: Gender Equality and Sexuality -- What was the Court's position on gender rights and what was its rationale in at least two cases?
• The 1980s: Immigration, Race and Gender -- What was the Court's position on rights and what was their rationale in at least two cases?