Our history is taught in schools, expressed in textbooks and alluded to in popular movies, but nobody really thinks about how it lives through us in our day-to-day experiences.
The United States Constitution was written over 200 years ago, ratified in 1789 to be exact; I don't know about you but I can confidently say a lot has changed since then. A lot has changed but the values we base this country's laws on have remained the same. One might question how a vast nation like ours is able to stay loyal to old words such as those written in our Constitution, and the answer in its entirety is found in The Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court interprets the Constitution and instills its purpose in the everyday lives of American citizens, no matter who they are. The kickstart and popularity of this document took flight after it was amended following the Civil War. Some may remember this to be a huge moment in history; slaves in the United States gained citizenship as well as their right to vote. Some may say the Constitution has gone slightly backwards. At one point in time, "We the People," was not embraced as a whole, and what do I mean by that? I mean, that not all people were considered in that statement at one point in time; African-Americans were not considered human beings and Native Americans had been stripped of their rights long before that. We see issues in present day with institutionalized racism and "We the People" starts to become a little fuzzy, again.
Although those words can be taken for granted occasionally, the Supreme Court has helped America solve major issues for quite some time using the 200 year old words expressed in our very own Constitution, so we must be doing something right. Along with those words, we have nine intellectual Supreme Court justices diligently working on each case they receive. Along with their well-thought out opinions, they also have law clerks to help them draft their judgements as well. The many different people that take crucial time to overlook these cases add various perspectives that ensure a fair ruling, which is what makes our history so unique.
Our Supreme Court has, and will always be, one of the most powerful bodies, not only in our nation but around the world. Not only do they create landmarks in our historical timeline, but they radiate the willingness to stand against what we see as popular opinion and societal norms in order to change the lives of those who may not have the power to do so.
The United States Constitution was written over 200 years ago, ratified in 1789 to be exact; I don't know about you but I can confidently say a lot has changed since then. A lot has changed but the values we base this country's laws on have remained the same. One might question how a vast nation like ours is able to stay loyal to old words such as those written in our Constitution, and the answer in its entirety is found in The Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court interprets the Constitution and instills its purpose in the everyday lives of American citizens, no matter who they are. The kickstart and popularity of this document took flight after it was amended following the Civil War. Some may remember this to be a huge moment in history; slaves in the United States gained citizenship as well as their right to vote. Some may say the Constitution has gone slightly backwards. At one point in time, "We the People," was not embraced as a whole, and what do I mean by that? I mean, that not all people were considered in that statement at one point in time; African-Americans were not considered human beings and Native Americans had been stripped of their rights long before that. We see issues in present day with institutionalized racism and "We the People" starts to become a little fuzzy, again.
Although those words can be taken for granted occasionally, the Supreme Court has helped America solve major issues for quite some time using the 200 year old words expressed in our very own Constitution, so we must be doing something right. Along with those words, we have nine intellectual Supreme Court justices diligently working on each case they receive. Along with their well-thought out opinions, they also have law clerks to help them draft their judgements as well. The many different people that take crucial time to overlook these cases add various perspectives that ensure a fair ruling, which is what makes our history so unique.
Our Supreme Court has, and will always be, one of the most powerful bodies, not only in our nation but around the world. Not only do they create landmarks in our historical timeline, but they radiate the willingness to stand against what we see as popular opinion and societal norms in order to change the lives of those who may not have the power to do so.
