Difficulty: Medium

Average Score: 68%

This excerpt discussing the U.S. Supreme Court case of Marbury v. Madison (1803) is from an article published by the National Archives in 1995.
"A Law [opposed] to the Constitution is void. With these words written by Chief Justice Marshall, the Supreme Court for the first time declared unconstitutional a law passed by Congress and signed by the President. Nothing in the Constitution gave the Court this specific power. Marshall, however, believed that the Supreme Court should have a role equal to those of the other two branches of government. When James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay wrote a defense of the Constitution in The Federalist, they explained... "You must first enable government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself."... The Constitution gave Congress the power to... remove officials, including judges or the President himself. The President was given the veto power to restrain Congress and the authority to appoint members of the Supreme Court.... [T]he role of the Supreme Court had not been defined. It therefore fell to a strong Chief Justice like Marshall to complete the triangular structure of checks and balances by establishing the principle of judicial review.

How did Chief Justice Marshall contribute to the U.S. government system of checks and balances?

Rationale

by establishing the Supreme Court's power to check Congress.

Chief Justice John Marshall significantly shaped the U.S. government system of checks and balances by asserting the Supreme Court's authority to declare acts of Congress unconstitutional, thereby enabling the judiciary to check legislative power.

A (by establishing the Supreme Court's power to check Congress) CORRECT

This choice accurately reflects Marshall's pivotal role in the landmark case Marbury v. Madison (1803), where he established the principle of judicial review. This allowed the Supreme Court to invalidate laws that conflict with the Constitution, providing a crucial check on Congressional authority.

B (by creating the power to remove the president from office) YOUR ANSWER

This option misrepresents the role of Chief Justice Marshall. The power to remove a president from office lies with Congress through impeachment, not the Supreme Court. Marshall's contributions were primarily focused on judicial authority rather than executive oversight.

C (by expanding the president's power to check Congress) YOUR ANSWER

This choice incorrectly attributes the expansion of presidential power to Marshall. His legacy is rooted in the strengthening of judicial power, not in enhancing the executive branch’s ability to act against Congress, thus maintaining a balance rather than skewing it.

D (by giving the Supreme Court the power to control itself) YOUR ANSWER

While the Supreme Court has some autonomy, this choice does not accurately capture the essence of Marshall's contribution. His focus was on establishing the Court's authority over legislative actions rather than self-control, which is a different concept entirely.

Conclusion

Chief Justice John Marshall's establishment of the Supreme Court's power to check Congress through judicial review fundamentally reinforced the system of checks and balances within the U.S. government. His decisions helped ensure that no branch could overstep its bounds, thus preserving the rights and freedoms enshrined in the Constitution.

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