Established in 1789, the Supreme Court serves as the highest judicial authority in the United States, defending our Constitution. It is comprised of nine Justices, one of which being the Chief Justice. These Justices work together to solve the largest and most controversial cases seen nationwide, applying the Constitution and their own respected opinions to find a compromise and decision.
Prior to watching the videos, I had very little idea of what went on inside the courtroom and the process of deciding and announcing cases. I knew the Supreme Court remains the most powerful section of the Judiciary Branch of Government, they have the power to choose what cases to hear, there is a Chief Justice, and the existence of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. That's about it. After watching the videos, I feel much more educated about the Supreme Court and the process of deciding a case.
To start, watching these videos gave me a ton of new information surrounding the Supreme Court. I was very interested to find out that in its 236 years of existence, the court has only had just over 100 Justices total. While this makes sense after learning Justices, on average, serve for 16 years and often more, this information added perspective to the exclusivity of serving as a Justice. Continuing, I also learned about how controversial Dred Scott's case was, and its massive effect on American history. While I had heard his name before, I did not know much about who he was or his case in the Supreme Court. After watching the videos, I see how crucial his case was in the abolishment of slavery and establishing the 14th Amendment.
In reflecting on both videos, there are two clear takeaways, both sharing the importance of the American people. One takeaway is cited at 8:48 in video Part 2 when the narrator states, "If the Court ever stopped defending the Constitution, or the ever people stopped listening, then one of the treasures that keep this the freest nation in the world would cease to exist." This is a very powerful and true quote as the trust built between the court and the people relies on equality, attentiveness, publicity, and individuality in thought.
To finish, my thoughts about the Supreme Court did not change much, but my knowledge and reasoning behind these thoughts have become better educated. Coming into this blog, I knew very little about the history, details, and process behind the Supreme Court, but as an American I have been raised to respect and admire the importance of the Court.
After watching the videos, I am more prideful and interested in the Supreme Court. One main reason for this is how the videos showed that the Justices are human, like you and me. Seen in the videos when Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg expressed how nervous she got when entering the Supreme Court Room for the first time. Another example lies in the process of coming to a decision and writing an opinion, being that each Justice is entitled to their own thoughts and opinions. While a compromise is inevitable, having the ability to say and publish your own opinions on a case is uniquely American.
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