Richard Brookhiser, Senior Editor, National Review

In 1801, John Marshall became the fourth Chief Justice of the United States, holding the post for a record 34 years. Before he joined the Supreme Court, it was the weakling of the federal government, lacking dignity and clout. After Marshall's tenure, the Court could never be ignored again. In this lecture, National Review senior editor Richard Brookhiser will discuss who John Marshall was, how he became the Chief Justice, and the Supreme Court he made, focusing on two of Marshall’s most important decisions, Fletcher v. Peck and Gibbons v. Ogden. Marshall transformed the Supreme Court into a pillar of American public life, making it a true equal in constitutional authority with the other branches of government.