John Marshall: The Great Chief Justice

John Marshall: The Great Chief Justice         John Marshall was born in Fauquier County, Virginia on September 4, 1755. He was the first son of Thomas Marshall and Mary Randolph Keith. His role in American history is undoubtedly a very important one. As a boy, Marshall was educated by his father. He learned to read and write, along with some lessons in history and poetry. At the age of fourteen, he was sent away to school, and a …

…declared that a law was unconstitutional, therefore setting a precident giving the Supreme Court the power to declare laws unconstitutional. Because of this ruling alone, John Marshall is a very prominent figure in American history and American law, but his acheivements do not end at that. During John Marshall's life, and particularly during his reign as chief justice, the power of the judicial branch became equally powerful to the other branches of the US government.