Students read up about the Judicial Branch (and more pointedly, the Supreme Court).  One of the most important terms we focused on was that of legal precedent.  The concept that the Supreme Court, which does not write laws, has the ability to still create law-like rulings really tripped some of the students up.

Today, we are going to expand our understanding of how legal precedent has impacted our country and history, starting with the Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857) decision.  We are going to read about the history of the case, the historical, and current implications of the Supreme Court decision.  The court case always brings up sensitive and controversial topics.

If you are wanting to open up a can of worms, ask your child tonight about the main arguments each side presented during the court case and how the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments helped reverse the decisions.  Make sure you ask them for reasoning!