As a young man, John Marshall fought in the American Revolution. Later, he served in Congress and as U.S. secretary of state. At age forty-five, he became chief justice of the Supreme Court. With wisdom and integrity, Marshall built the Supreme Court into the venerated legal institution it is today.
His journey would not be easy. In its early years, the Supreme Court was ignored and ridiculed. John Marshall set out to change that. He took on landmark cases, such as Marbury v. Madison and McCulIoch v. Maryland. The Court's epic decisions echoed across the nation, forming the bedrock of America's fledgling legal system. John Marshall never wavered from defending the U.S. Constitution. He is fondly remembered as America's greatest chief justice.
1 Defender of the Consitution 9
2 Lessons in Life and Law 17
3 Lawyer and Leader 29
4 Mission to France 41
5 In Service of the Nation 53
6 Marbury V. Madison 63
7 Justice and Controversy 73
8 Goldern Years 85
Selected Cases 96
Timeline 102
Sources 104
Bibliography 106
Web Sites 107
Index 108
Overview
As a young man, John Marshall fought in the American Revolution. Later, he served in Congress and as U.S. secretary of state. At age forty-five, he became chief justice of the Supreme Court. With wisdom and integrity, Marshall built the Supreme Court into the venerated legal institution it is today.
His journey would not be easy. In its early years, the Supreme Court was ignored and ridiculed. John Marshall set out to change that. He took on landmark cases, such as Marbury v. ...