United States v Lopez (1995): Supreme Court Cases | Academy 4 Social Change

In a 5-4 decision, the Court ruled that gun ownership has no substantial effect on interstate commerce, and the Gun-Free Schools Act was unconstitutional. Justice Rehnquist’s majority opinion argued that Congress had no power to write the Act of crime legislation in the first place. The Court read the Commerce Clause more narrowly, arguing that national power should have boundaries.

**Find a transcript, lesson plans, worksheets, and more at:
https://academy4sc.org/video/united-s...

**Think Further Questions:
1. Where in the Constitution do you think the Court could have found reasoning for the Gun-Free Schools Act other than the Commerce Clause?
2. Why do you think the Court did not follow the Lopez precedent in Gonzales v Raich?
3. Today school shootings are a major problem in America. What constitutional legislation do you think could be passed to help tamp down on the number of school shootings in the United States?

**Contents:
00:00 - Case
01:52 - Decision
03:22 - Dissent
04:20 - Impact

#academy4sc #civicseducation