Democracy on Trial

Students choose a position-whether judicial review strengthened or weakened democracy-and write a paragraph defending their stance. They must include a clear claim, at least two pieces of historical evidence from Marbury v. Madison, and a strong concluding sentence. This writing task encourages learners to think critically about the long-term impacts of judicial review on democratic governance. The reflection question extends thinking by asking students to imagine how the United States might differ without judicial review. The worksheet builds argumentative writing skills and strengthens historical analysis.

Curriculum Matched Skills

Social Studies – Impact of Judicial Review

English Language Arts – Argumentative Writing

Civics – Democratic Principles and Government Structure

Social Studies – Using Historical Evidence to Support Claims

This worksheet is part of our Marbury v. Madison Worksheets collection.