Changes

Marshall's most important rulings include: ''[[Cohens v. Virginia]]'', ''[[Fletcher v. Peck]]'', ''[[Gibbons v. Ogden]]'', ''[[Marbury v. Madison]]'', ''[[McCulloch v. Maryland]]'', ''[[Dartmouth College v. Woodward|Trustees of Dartmouth College v. Woodward]]'', and ''[[Worcester v. Georgia]]''.  

Marshall's most important rulings include: ''[[Cohens v. Virginia]]'', ''[[Fletcher v. Peck]]'', ''[[Gibbons v. Ogden]]'', ''[[Marbury v. Madison]]'', ''[[McCulloch v. Maryland]]'', ''[[Dartmouth College v. Woodward|Trustees of Dartmouth College v. Woodward]]'', and ''[[Worcester v. Georgia]]''.  

Some of his decisions were unpopular;  [[Andrew Jackson]] went so far as to completely ignore the ruling of ''Worcester v. Georgia'', for example. Nevertheless Marshall set a great precedent in American politics by being able to balance out the branches of government, and the states and the federal power, providing the rule of law that still prevails.  

Some of his decisions were unpopular;  [[Andrew Jackson]] went so far as to completely ignore the ruling of ''Worcester v. Georgia'', for example. Nevertheless, Marshall set a great precedent in American politics by being able to balance out the branches of government, and the states and the federal power, providing the rule of law that still prevails.  

During his thirty-four years as head of the [[Supreme Court]] he judged over 1,100 cases, 519 of which he wrote the rulings for.<ref>Paul  Johnson, ''A History of the American People,''  (1988) page 237</ref> Marshall was in the dissenting minority only eight times throughout his tenure at the court because of his control over the associate justices. As one observer at the time noted, Marshall had the knack of "putting his own ideas into the minds of others, unconsciously to them"<ref>George Gibbs, ''Memoirs of the Administrations of Washington and John Adams,'' (1846), vol. II, p. 350</ref>

During his thirty-four years as head of the [[Supreme Court]] he judged over 1,100 cases, 519 of which he wrote the rulings for.<ref>Paul  Johnson, ''A History of the American People,''  (1988) page 237</ref> Marshall was in the dissenting minority only eight times throughout his tenure at the court because of his control over the associate justices. As one observer at the time noted, Marshall had the knack of "putting his own ideas into the minds of others, unconsciously to them"<ref>George Gibbs, ''Memoirs of the Administrations of Washington and John Adams,'' (1846), vol. II, p. 350</ref>

==Chief Justice ==

==Chief Justice ==

At the last minute (January 1801) Adams appointed a series of federal judges (the "Midnight Judges") including Marshall as chief justice of the United States. The three previous chief justices had left little permanent mark beyond setting up the forms of office.  The Supreme Court, like the state supreme courts, was a minor organ of government.  In his 34 year tenure Marshall made it a third coequal branch, which it remains today.  With his associate justices, especially [[Joseph Story]], William Johnson, and Bushrod Washington, Marshall's Court defined the constitutional standards of the new nation. The great work of the Marshall Court was done in a handful of great cases: Marbury v. Madison, 1 Cranch 137; McCulloch v. Maryland, 4 Wheat. 316; Cohens v. Virginia, 6 Wheat. 264; Gibbons v. Ogden, 9 Wheat 1; and a few others.

At the last minute (January 1801) Adams appointed a series of federal judges (the "Midnight Judges") including Marshall as chief justice of the United States. The three previous chief justices had left little permanent mark beyond setting up the forms of office.  The Supreme Court, like the state supreme courts, was a minor organ of government.  In his 34-year tenure Marshall made it a third coequal branch, which it remains today.  With his associate justices, especially [[Joseph Story]], William Johnson, and Bushrod Washington, Marshall's Court defined the constitutional standards of the new nation. The great work of the Marshall Court was done in a handful of great cases: Marbury v. Madison, 1 Cranch 137; McCulloch v. Maryland, 4 Wheat. 316; Cohens v. Virginia, 6 Wheat. 264; Gibbons v. Ogden, 9 Wheat 1; and a few others.

[[Image:MARSHALL-COURT.JPG|thumb|400px]]

[[Image:MARSHALL-COURT.JPG|thumb|400px]]