Marshall Court Decisions - Political Cartoon Activity

Students learn three landmark cases by arguing about them. After reading short summaries, they draw two political cartoons: one defending a Marshall Court decision and one attacking it.

What’s inside

• Summaries of Marbury v. Madison (1803), McCulloch v. Maryland (1819), and Gibbons v. Ogden (1824), with key ideas like judicial review and implied powers in bold

• A note-taking chart: the issue, the decision, and the precedent

• Step-by-step cartoon instructions with tips on symbols, captions, and exaggeration

• A sample cartoon (Marbury v. Madison as a boxing match)

• Teacher note: assign each group one case, or have everyone work through all three

Details: Grades 8-12 | PDF, 6 pages

Also part of the Unit 4: Early Republic plan.