Florida Civic Literacy Practice Exam

Which of the following pairs of United States Supreme Court cases resulted in limiting the power for local governments?

1. Brown v. Board of Education and Marbury v. Madison

2. Brown v. Board of Education and District of Columbia v. Heller

3. Roe v. Wade and Plessy v. Ferguson

4. District of Columbia v. Heller and Obergefell v. Hodges

The correct answer is: Brown v. Board of Education and District of Columbia v. Heller

The pair of Supreme Court cases identified in the answer focuses on pivotal decisions that shaped the limits of local government power regarding individual rights and governance. Brown v. Board of Education addressed the issue of racial segregation in public schools, declaring that such segregation was unconstitutional and establishing a precedent that local laws enforcing segregation were to be overridden by federal law. This landmark ruling effectively limited local government's power to discriminate against individuals based on race, promoting civil rights and ensuring that federal oversight upheld equality. District of Columbia v. Heller reinforced the Second Amendment rights of individuals to bear arms, ruling that laws restricting gun ownership could be seen as infringing on personal liberties. This decision again illustrated how local governments' regulations could be limited when they contravene individual constitutional rights. In combination, these cases represent significant instances where federal authority intervened to curtail local laws when those laws were found to infringe upon fundamental rights. This interplay between federal and local governance is crucial in understanding how the Supreme Court can act as a check on local decisions that may violate broader constitutional principles. The other options do not pair together in a way that similarly demonstrates the limitation of local government power through cases with this legal significance concerning individual rights. Thus, the choice is justified based on the impactful