The purpose of the U.S. courts system is to protect individual rights against societal and governmental oppression and protect the sanctity of ________ from breaches by the other branches of government.

• A. The Bill of Rights
• B. The U.S. Constitution
• C. The Declaration of Independence
• D. The Magna Carta

Answer: (B)

The main idea is that the courts guard the Constitution as the supreme law of the land, serving as a check on government power to protect individual rights. The Constitution establishes the framework and limits for how Congress and the President can act, and the Supremacy Clause makes it the standard against which all laws and actions are measured. When a government action or law conflicts with the Constitution, the courts can strike it down through judicial review, keeping government from breaching the rights it protects. The Bill of Rights is crucial, but it is part of the Constitution, not the separate standard the courts defend; the Declaration of Independence and Magna Carta are not the binding legal authorities for U.S. courts today.