The Lasting Impact of the Court Packing Plan Debate on the US Judiciary

📚 The Lasting Impact of the Court Packing Plan Debate on the US Judiciary

This lesson explores the historical context, political motivations, and long-term consequences of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's 1937 court-packing plan on the United States judiciary.

🎯 Objectives

• 🏛️ Understand the historical context of the 1937 court-packing plan.
• ⚖️ Analyze the political motivations behind Roosevelt's proposal.
• 📜 Evaluate the arguments for and against the plan.
• 🕰️ Assess the lasting impact of the debate on the Supreme Court and the balance of power in the US government.

🧰 Materials

• 📜 Primary source documents related to the court-packing plan (e.g., Roosevelt's speeches, congressional debates).
• 📰 Newspaper articles and editorials from 1937.
• 🎧 Audio or video recordings of relevant speeches or discussions.
• 💻 Internet access for research.

🔥 Warm-up (5 minutes)

• ❓ Ask students: What is the role of the Supreme Court in the US government?
• 🤔 Briefly discuss the concept of judicial review and its importance.
• 🗣️ Engage students by asking if they have heard of instances where the Supreme Court's decisions have been controversial.

👨‍🏫 Main Instruction

1. 🕰️ Historical Context (15 minutes)

   • 📅 Explain the economic and political climate of the 1930s, including the Great Depression and the New Deal.
   • 🏛️ Describe the Supreme Court's initial resistance to New Deal legislation.
   • 📜 Discuss key Supreme Court cases that challenged the New Deal, such as Schechter Poultry Corp. v. United States (1935).

2. 🤔 Roosevelt's Court-Packing Plan (20 minutes)

   • 📢 Explain Roosevelt's proposal to add justices to the Supreme Court.
   • 📊 Detail the specific provisions of the plan and the rationale behind it.
   • 🏛️ Discuss the constitutional questions raised by the plan.

3. 🗣️ Arguments For and Against (20 minutes)

   • ✅ Present the arguments in favor of the court-packing plan, focusing on the need to overcome judicial obstruction of the New Deal.
   • ❌ Present the arguments against the plan, emphasizing concerns about the independence of the judiciary and the separation of powers.
   • 📰 Analyze contemporary reactions to the plan, including opinions from politicians, legal scholars, and the public.

4. 🏛️ The Aftermath and Lasting Impact (15 minutes)

   • 📉 Describe the defeat of the court-packing plan in Congress.
   • ⚖️ Explain the "switch in time that saved nine," referring to Justice Roberts' changing stance on New Deal legislation.
   • 🕰️ Discuss the long-term effects of the debate on the Supreme Court, including its relationship with the executive and legislative branches.
   • 📜 Analyze how the debate shaped future discussions about judicial reform and the role of the Supreme Court in American society.

📝 Assessment

• ✍️ Essay: Analyze the extent to which the court-packing plan debate altered the relationship between the three branches of the US government.
• 🗣️ Debate: Organize a class debate on the merits and drawbacks of Roosevelt's court-packing plan.
• 🔎 Research Project: Have students research and present on a specific aspect of the court-packing plan, such as the role of public opinion or the impact on a particular Supreme Court justice.