Essay On Supreme Court Building

818 Words2 Pages

The United States Government has three distinct branches of government. The branches include: the Legislative Branch, the Judicial Branch, and the Executive Branch. The Supreme Court Building is the home of the Judicial Branch. It is in our nation's capital, Washington, DC. This building is crucial for the government because the Supreme Court determines the Constitutionality of laws. The Supreme Court Building is located at 1 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20543. In a visual perspective it's located adjacent to the US Capitol building and the Library of Congress. The construction of the building started in 1932 and ended in 1935. The cornerstone for the Supreme Court Building was laid on October 13, 1932 at 10 a.m. President Herbert Hoover laid the cornerstone containing diagrams and documents from important events at that time. Among these were documents relating to the history of the building and a copy of the Constitution and Declaration of Independence. During the cornerstone laying Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes said, "The Republic endures and this is the symbol of its faith." The architect of the Supreme Court Building is Cass Gilbert. He was the president of the American Institute of Architects from 1908-1909. Gilbert was most commonly known for designing the Woolworth building in New York City. The architecture of the building is called Neoclassical. Neoclassical architecture is the revival of the classical style from Greece and Italy. The purpose of the Supreme Court Building is to determine the Constitutionality of laws in the US. Some other intentions of the building are to settle arguments between states and to interpret the Constitution. "The Supreme Court Building is the ultimate arbitrator of the Constitution... ... middle of paper ... ...west door is the public entrance and after 9:00 am the Southwest door is a public entrance, too. To enter the building you will be asked to walk through security screenings, metal detectors and x-ray machines. The police will remove you if you are being overly loud, eating or drinking not in the cafeteria, touch any portraits or exhibits, smoke, or take photos in the courtroom. The Supreme Court is one of the most important buildings in DC and the US because it's where the Judicial Branch interprets the Constitution for our country. The Constitution is a major document for the US, therefore it's essential that we understand it. The Justices on the Supreme Court are the judges that we look to for that understanding. The Supreme Court Building is a "must see" when anyone visits DC because decisions are made in this building that impact our everyday lives.

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