Answer Close-Reading Questions
Have students write their responses, or use the Close-Reading Questions to guide a discussion.
• What is the U.S. Supreme Court? Why is it important? (Central Ideas)
The U.S. Supreme Court is the highest court in the nation and the head of the judicial branch. The nine justices on the Court hear about 75 cases each year. The Supreme Court is important because it makes decisions about important issues that affect all Americans, such as gun rights and environmental regulations, and all lower courts must follow its rulings.
• What process does the Court follow for each case it hears? (Sequencing)
First, attorneys for each side present arguments and answer questions. Then the justices discuss the case in private and vote informally. A justice on the majority side writes the majority opinion and a justice on the minority side writes an opposing opinion, called a dissent. Finally, the Court releases the opinions.
• How has the Supreme Court changed over time? (Key Details)
The Court has become more diverse. All of the justices were White men until 1967, when Thurgood Marshall became the first Black justice. No women served on the Court until 1981, when Sandra Day O’Connor joined it. Today, two of the justices are Black, one is Hispanic, and four are women.