Supplement to Impeachment Study Guide .3

 

THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT AND PARTY AFFILIATIONS

 

The Justices who serve on the U.S. Supreme are members of either the Republican Party or Democratic Party.

The Republican Party abbreviation is “R”, and the Democratic Party abbreviation is “D”.  For example, the Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court is William Rehnquist, a Republican.  In 1971, he was nominated as Associate Justice by President

Nixon.  In 1986, President Ronald Reagan appointed him as Chief Justice to the U.S. Supreme Court.  Nixon and Reagan are both Republicans.

 

Current Associate Justices

 

In 1981, President Reagan appointed Sandra Day O’Connor as Associate Justice to the U.S. Supreme Court.  She

is the first woman appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court in United States history.  Like President Reagan, Justice O’Connor is Republican.

 

In 1986, President Reagan appointed Antonin Scalia as Associate Justice to the U.S. Supreme Court.  Like President Reagan, Justice Scalia is Republican.

 

In 1991, President George Bush, the elder, appointed Clarence Thomas as Associate Justice.  Like President Bush, Justice Thomas is Republican.

 

In 1993, President Bill Clinton appointed Ruth Bader Ginsburg as Associate Justice to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Like President Clinton, Justice Ginsburg is a Democrat.

 

In 1994, President Clinton appointed Steven Breyer as Associate Justice to the U.S. Supreme Court.  Like President Clinton,

Justice Breyer is a Democrat.

 

 

 

 

 

Notes, 1:00 p.m. Spring 2001, January 31, 2001

 

 

RECENT U.S. PRESIDENTS

 

Lyndon B. Johnson became President when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22, 1963.  He was elected President in his own right by defeating Barry Goldwater in 1964.  President Johnson was responsible for the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. That resolution was intended to control the aggression of the North Vietnam armed forces.  It also increased American involvement in the Vietnam War.

 

Richard M. Nixon was elected twice as President of the United States, but did not finish his second term.  The incumbent Vice-President, Gerald R. Ford, became President on August 9, 1974 after Nixon resigned the Presidency.

 

Jimmy Carter defeated President Ford in the 1976 election.  Carter served as President from 1977 to 1981.  Carter became an unpopular President after students in Iran held American hostages captive for 444 days.  .

 

Ronald Reagan defeated President Carter in the 1980 election.  Carter served only one term as President.  The American hostages were finally released by Iran minutes after Reagan took the oath of office as President of the United States.

 

President Reagan was elected to two terms as President of the United States.  His vice-president was George Bush, the elder.

George Bush was elected President in 1988.  Bush served only one term as President.

 

Bill Clinton defeated George Bush in the election of 1992.  Bill Clinton defeated Bob Dole in the 1996 election.  Clinton was elected to two terms as President of the United States.

 

George W. Bush defeated Al Gore in the election of 2000.  It was a very contested election that was finally decided by the United States Supreme Court in December of 2000.

 

 

For a list of United States Presidents that we have discussed, click here.