Later Decisions of Marshall’s Court and the Struggle for Constitutional Justice | Courtmaker

Learn about how John Marshall’s ruling in the Antelope Case revealed the deep conflict between his commitment to justice under the law and his personal involvement in slaveholding.

Students will analyze Marshall’s rulings in the Antelope (1825) and Worcester v. Georgia (1832) cases and evaluate how the Supreme Court’s authority is limited by political power and executive enforcement. They will also explore how Marshall’s philosophy might have shaped the outcome of the Dred Scott case, as they discuss how constitutional interpretation both reflects and resists the political and moral struggles of its time.