Pulitzer Prize History Winner

The Supreme Court in United States History

by Charles Warren

Summary

Warren narrates the growth of the Supreme Court from the early republic onward, showing how its great decisions shaped national politics and the balance between federal and state power. He draws on newspapers, letters, and public reaction to set the Court within the controversies of each era rather than treating it in isolation. The work became a foundational study of American constitutional and legal history.

Historical Context & Significance

Warren was a Boston lawyer and former assistant attorney general whose multivolume study long served as a standard reference on the Court.