The Supreme Court

After reading about the Supreme Court from History, I have learned some new information and gotten a chance to think about how I feel towards it. Supreme Court - History

What Did I Learn?

I learned that at one point there wasn't just a set number of justices on the Supreme Court. They originally had six justices but they eventually decided that having a minimum of five and a maximum of ten would work best until they finally settled on nine for the Supreme Court. I find it interesting how since 1869, no one has decided to question going against nine justices rule.   

What Is Important?

I find it important to realize that a lot of the basic human rights that have come about for a lot of people in this country have happened because of the Supreme Court. The judicial branch of government is very important to our country and without it, there may be a power imbalance between the other two branches,

What Was Surprising?

I found it surprising learning how many judges have been on the Supreme Court.  Considering the Supreme Court has been around since the late 1700s, I would've expected less than 115 judges. Since the members of Supreme Court have to work until they retire or die, I figured they would've all lasted in office for a long time. Knowing the current Supreme Court situation and thinking about this made me come to the realization that all Supreme Court members must have been old and that's why there have been so many. 

What Do I Think Now?

I think the ability to determine whether something is unconstitutional or not can be a little overpowering sometimes. The fact that as a small group, they can make decisions that alter the course of our country and decide how different kinds of people are treated is almost ludicrous to think about.