The Supreme Court Historical Society

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• Learn more about American history, civics, Constitutional law, government, Judges, Judicial System, law, lawyers, professional development, and Supreme Court.

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Chief Justice Warren E. Burger established the Supreme Court Historical Society in 1974 to collect and preserve the history of the Supreme Court of the United States. The Society conducts educational programs, supports historical research, publishes books, journals, and electronic materials, and collects antiques and artifacts related to the Court’s history.

The Society’s website has a section on the history of the Supreme Court with information on each court since the John Jay Court of 1789-1795. A timeline of the court has biographical information on each of the court Justices since its beginning. There is also information on the professional background of each of the current Justices seated on the court. Students can test their knowledge with a history quiz.

Also in the History section, multimedia documentaries illuminate two important events. “Five Justices and the Grand Commission - Deciding the 1876 Election” provides detailed information on the formation of an electoral commission made up of five Supreme Court Justices and ten congressmen to decide the close presidential election between Samuel J. Tilden and Rutherford B. Hayes.”FDR and the Court-Packing Controversy” explains how President Franklin Roosevelt tried to get Congress to change the number of Supreme Court Justices from nine to as many as fifteen in 1937 and the “powder-keg” that erupted over the controversy.

A detailed explanation of “How the Court Works” begins with the traditions of the court and the business it conducts. It discusses the people who work for the court, the types of cases that are heard, the drafting and releasing of opinions, the selection of justices, and much more.

Teachers will find instructional resources corresponding to landmark cases presented to the Supreme Court. Many case-specific activities have been developed, including a range of short activities and in-depth lessons that can be completed with students. These include moot court activities, political cartoon analysis, continuum exercises, and Web site evaluations.

The Society offers a six day Summer Institute for high school teachers with educational activities related to teaching about the U.S. Supreme Court. Sessions led by Supreme Court experts, journalists, authors, and lawyers give teachers an in-depth understanding of how the Court chooses and decides cases, and what it is like to argue before the Court.