This entry treats the historical development of the Supreme Court from its origins to the present. The material has been divided chronologically as follows:
- Establishment of the Union (1789 – 1865)
- Reconstruction, Federalism, and Economic Rights (1866 – 1920)
- The Depression and the Rise of Legal Liberalism (1921 – 1954)
- Rights Consciousness in Contemporary Society (1955 – 2005)
Each essay treats the major developments on the Court within the context of social change during specific eras.
