Heimlich's History: McDonald v. Chicago

Introduction

• Focus on required Supreme Court case: McDonald v. Chicago
• Background context relating to AP Government curriculum

Case Background

• McDonald v. Chicago ties back to an earlier case: Heller v. District of Columbia (2008)
  • Heller case found restrictive gun laws in Washington D.C. unconstitutional
  • Applied only to federal territory
• Otis McDonald and Chicago residents pushed to apply Heller ruling at state level
  • McDonald faced personal safety concerns: home robberies and gang presence
  • Wanted handgun for self-defense, opposed by Chicago’s restrictive handgun laws

Constitutional Principle

• Focus on the Second Amendment: Right to bear arms
  • McDonald argued Chicago's laws infringed on gun ownership rights
  • Opponents argued restrictions were necessary for public safety
• Key balance: Personal liberty vs. Public order and safety

Supreme Court Decision

• Ruling in favor of McDonald:
  • Chicago's gun laws violated Second Amendment rights
  • Decision extended Heller’s federal ruling to state level
  • Emphasized use of the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause

Important Concepts

• Selective Incorporation:
  • Process of applying Bill of Rights' civil liberties to states
  • McDonald ruling required states/cities to align laws with Second Amendment rights
• Majority Opinion:
  • Justice Samuel Alito: Right to bear arms is a fundamental right for ordered liberty
• Dissenting Opinion:
  • Argued against gun ownership as a fundamental right

Conclusion

• McDonald v. Chicago significant for selective incorporation of Second Amendment
• Impact: States had to adjust restrictive gun laws

Additional Resources

• Videos on other required Supreme Court cases
• Study materials available for further review
• Encouragement to subscribe for more educational content

Heimler concludes the lecture with a call to engage with more educational content and resources.