His rulings consistently protected individual rights and the power of the federal government against overreach by the states. From Frontiersman to Statesman
Marshall authored the landmark opinion that established judicial review , granting the Supreme Court the authority to strike down laws that violate the Constitution. Without Precedent: Chief Justice John Marshall ...
One of the most compelling aspects of Marshall’s story was his lifelong political and personal rivalry with his cousin, Thomas Jefferson. While Jefferson romanticized the "common man" from a position of inherited wealth, Marshall—having grown up in a log cabin—defended the legal rights of creditors and landholders to maintain national stability. His rulings consistently protected individual rights and the
During the American Revolution, Marshall served as a lieutenant. The hardships he witnessed at Valley Forge convinced him of the need for a strong central government to defend the nation. While Jefferson romanticized the "common man" from a