The US Supreme Court | AQA A-Level Politics (7152)
The US Supreme Court
- 83 questions
- 6 subtopics
- Paper 2: government and politics of the USA
- Paper 2
Nine justices appointed for life, how a case reaches them, the power of judicial review claimed in 1803, and the landmark rulings and Court eras that show what that power does..
It covers the Composition and Tenure of the Court, how a Case Reaches the Supreme Court, judicial Review and Guardian of the Constitution, the Debate over the Court's Power, the Warren Court and Landmark Rulings and later Landmark Rulings and Court Eras.
Sample questions from The US Supreme Court
Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.
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The Composition and Tenure of the Court
Outline the stages of appointing a Supreme Court justice.
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A vacancy arises, the president nominates a candidate, the Senate Judiciary Committee holds hearings and reports a recommendation, and the full Senate votes to confirm by simple majority. -
The Composition and Tenure of the Court
Give two nominations that failed at the Senate stage.
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Robert Bork was rejected by the Senate in 1987, and Merrick Garland's nomination in 2016 never received a hearing. -
How a Case Reaches the Supreme Court
What is the rule of four?
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It is the convention that four of the nine justices must agree before the Court will hear a case. -
How a Case Reaches the Supreme Court
Why can a dissenting opinion still matter?
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It can supply the reasoning that a future Court, or Congress, later adopts when the law changes. -
Judicial Review and Guardian of the Constitution
Explain the Court's role as protector of citizens' rights.
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It enforces the Bill of Rights and later amendments against government, and has extended those protections to cover state as well as federal action. -
Judicial Review and Guardian of the Constitution
Define loose constructionism.
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It is the view that the Constitution's general language should be interpreted in the light of contemporary conditions, so its meaning develops over time. -
The Debate over the Court's Power
Name three other checks on the Supreme Court.
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The president's power of nomination, the Senate's power of confirmation, and Congress's authority to set the Court's size and much of its jurisdiction. -
The Debate over the Court's Power
Why do some argue the Court behaves as a third chamber of the legislature?
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Because its interpretations of open-textured constitutional language settle major policy questions with an authority that ordinary legislation cannot override.
The 6 subtopics
One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.
| Subtopic | What it covers | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| The Composition and Tenure of the Court | Recall questions on the Article establishing the federal judiciary, how many justices sit and who fixes that, and the terms on which they hold office. | 16 |
| How a Case Reaches the Supreme Court | Recall questions on original against appellate jurisdiction, the route a case takes, the rule of four and how few petitions succeed. | 8 |
| Judicial Review and Guardian of the Constitution | Recall questions on judicial review and Marbury v Madison, the Court as guardian of the Constitution and of rights, judicial activism and restraint, strict and loose constructionism, originalism and overturning precedent. | 16 |
| The Debate over the Court's Power | Recall questions on the criticisms of its political power, the arguments that it is exaggerated, and how a ruling can be reversed. | 13 |
| The Warren Court and Landmark Rulings | Recall questions on what makes a ruling a landmark, why such lists are illustrative, the Warren years and the decision in Brown. | 9 |
| Later Landmark Rulings and Court Eras | Recall questions on the Burger, Rehnquist and Roberts Courts and their landmark rulings, including Roe and its reversal, United States v Nixon, Texas v Johnson, Bush v Gore, Heller, Obergefell, Citizens United and Shelby County. | 21 |
How the guide is worked
Answering a question from memory stores it far better than reading the answer again. The guide runs that as a fixed procedure on one subtopic at a time, about twenty minutes a session.
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Step 1 · Closed book
Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.
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Step 2 · Open book
Go back to the top. Read each printed answer and write it out in full, including the ones you had right.
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Step 3 · Closed book again
Same questions, same order, from memory. The gap between pass one and pass three is the session result.
Read the full method, the return schedule and the research behind it.
Nearby topics
AQA A-Level Politics Active Recall Guide
Every topic, not just this one. 2,215 questions with their answers.