District of Columbia v. Heller | BRI’s Homework Help Series

Viewing guide for the Shaw v. Reno Homework Help video.

Can a state create a legislative district based on race? In this episode of BRI’s Primary Source Close Reads, Joshua Schmid is joined by Dr. Josh Dunn as they discuss excerpts of the Shaw v. Reno case regarding the question of gerrymandering. What aspects of gerrymandering are allowed by law and why? How does the Equal Protection Clause relate to the case of Shaw v. Reno? Why does the Equal Protection Clause in the 14th Amendment apply to the states because of incorporation?

Under what circumstances can the government take your property? In 2005, the Supreme Court took on this question in the case of Kelo v. New London. The court argued about whether applying the 5th Amendment to the states using the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment was constitutional or unconstitutional. This process is referred to as incorporation. Our latest Homework Help video reviews the details of the case and encourages students to analyze the decision to form their own opinions.