The Constitution Of The United States - 1007 Words

The United States of America has previously experienced failure every now and then. With trial and error, the country has learned to correct its ways and move toward(s) perfecting itself. Realizing the ineffectiveness of the Articles of Confederation is a prime example of the U.S. learning how to better itself. Subsequent to the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution of the United States was set as our new and improved framework of government. Possessing knowledge on how America, although strong, is still progressing, the U.S. Constitution holds certain ways allowing the United States government to adapt to changes over time. Judicial review and the Elastic Clause are crucial principles of the document that permit America to do so.†¦show more content†¦Using the power to dub a law void makes room for change. If a law was passed due to it seeming fit during its time, but no longer has the same effectiveness later on, judicial review gives Supreme Court the ability to tak e it out of effect. Therefore, the U.S. would then adapt to modern day more than it already has through the removal of a law. This action originates from the first time a chief justice ruled an act of another branch unconstitutional. In the 1803 Marbury v. Madison case, Chief Justice John Marshall announced that Congress acted outside the bounds of its constitutional power. The circumstances that were deemed to be short of following procedural rules was, James Madison did not send commission to William Marbury, who had been appointed Justice of the Peace. This was a result of a President in a lame-duck session, where he or she has little time left in office and proceeds to enact what they desire with hardly any worry of retribution. Chief Justice John Marshall greatly contributed to U.S. history with his actions, and led to the ratification of judicial review. In more recent cases, Harper v. Virginia Board of Elections, 1966, a woman by the name of Annie Harper was prohibited from voting in a state election due to the inability to pay a poll tax. The fourteenth amendment guarantees your right to vote, which Harper claims was violated in her situation. She