The Supreme Court: John Marshall & Judicial Review
Our in-house historian Dr. John Foster reviews the history of the US Supreme Court by highlighting the lives and careers of its most important justices. He begins with John Marshall.
Marshall was the fourth Chief Justice in the court’s history but none of his predecessors — not even John Jay — contributed more to our country’s judicial history. Foster discusses Marshall’s life and discusses his two most crucial cases:
- Marbury v. Madison, which establishes the Supreme Court’s right to judicial review
- McCulloch v. Maryland, which defined the federal government’s powers under the Necessary and Proper Clause in the Constitution.
Foster also explains Marshall’s stance and role in the Federalist v. Democratic-Republican squabbles of our nascent nation.
Foster’s series continues in May with a lecture about John M. Harlan.
In addition to being a reference librarian, Foster has a doctorate degree in history. He has taught history at both high school and college levels. Previously, he has led series on the Battles of World War II, the Cold War, the American Revolution, The Vietnam Wars, and US Presidents of the 20th Century at the library.
