The Great Compromise: The Judicial Branch Of Government

The judicial branch of government interprets laws and administers justice. The judicial branch of government was established by Article lll of the Constitution along with other Federal courts created by Congress. This branch came about when statesmen who met in Philadelphia were followers of Montesquieu's concept that powers in politics should be balanced. John Locke's writings supported and made this principle stronger, this led to the judgment that there needed to be three equal branches of government, the executive, legislative, and the judicial branch.
A compromise that was made was the Great Compromise. The Great Compromise was an agreement that small and large states made. This compromise stated the representation and legislative structure each state should have under the U.S. Constitution. The outcome of the Great Compromise was that each state would have two representatives in the upper house. The judicial
branch can interpret laws, administers justice, and can decide things. A power that the judicial branch has is judicial review. Judicial review is the ability to declare an act of the Legislative or Executive branch in violation of the United States Constitution. Judicial review means that the judicial branch can review actions made by the legislative branch and executive branch.
An important member of the judicial branch of government was the Chief Justice, John Marshall, who served from 1801-1835.
John Marshall made a decision that expanded the powers of the Supreme Court and that is why he is important. John Marshall made it to where federal courts could use judicial review, for when/if someone violates the United States Constitution. John Marshall helped make the third branch of government, the judicial branch, what it is today. Some decisions that were made were in the Marbury Vs. Madison case, McCulloch Vs. Maryland case, Scott Vs. Sandford case, etc. These cases each greatly impacted our great nation and what it is today.
The Marbury Vs. Madison case is important because it was the first United States Supreme Court case to apply the judicial review principle. This case was between a man named William Marbury and James Madison, when James Madison refused to deliver Marbury's commission, Marbury made a petition, which would bring forth delivery of the commissions. Marbury’s petition was denied and proven not
valid. The McCulloch Vs. Maryland case is important because it was an important case on federal power. This case addressed national supremacy and was between James McCulloch and the state of Maryland. On Maryland bank notes a tax was placed and James McCulloch appealed this. Even though a lot of people sided with the bank, the state of Maryland lost this case.
The Scott Vs. Sandford case was an important case because it did not ban slavery in the United States territory. This case is about a slave named Dred Scott, who was taken from a slave state to free territory. Dred Scott released information about how he was in a place permitted to emancipation, a Chief Justice did not agree with this. The court said that no african american could ever claim citizenship. Dred Scott lost this case. Some other important roles of the judicial branch are in the checks and balance system. The checks and balance system is a system that ensures that political power is not just in the hands of groups or individuals. The checks and balance system basically makes sure that power is equal between all of the branches of government.
The judicial branch has impacted our country by the decisions it has made. In some very important cases the decisions that were made, made America what it is today. If the outcome of some of the cases that the judicial branch has dealt with had come out differently, then who knows, our whole lives could be different. It all depends on decisions that have been and are still being made that have and could impact our country. A decision made today could affect us and our country tomorrow.