The Living Constitution

THE SUPREME COURT AND CIVIL LIBERTIES

The Constitution describes Americans' civil liberties only in general terms. The courts, especially the Supreme Court, have had to decide how these constitutional guarantees apply to specific situations. As the time line entries show, some Court decisions have supported and broadened civil liberties, while others have restricted them.

Click on the description of each entry to read about these civil liberties issues.

Questions for Discussion

Which Supreme Court decision endorsed the principle of "separate but equal" facilities? Which decision rejected this idea?

Besides African Americans, what groups of people could be affected by the Supreme Court's recent civil liberties decisions?

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