Barron v. Baltimore (1833)

1) Link to the Actual Opinion
Read the U.S. Reports opinion (PDF)

2) Summary of the Opinion
John Barron, a wharf owner, claimed that the City of Baltimore had effectively taken his property without compensation, violating the Fifth Amendment. The Supreme Court ruled that the Bill of Rights restricted only the federal government, not the states.

3) Why It Mattered
This case clarified that protections in the Bill of Rights did not apply to state governments. It set the stage for the later doctrine of “incorporation” through the 14th Amendment after the Civil War.

United States v. Cruikshank (1876)

1) Link to the Actual Opinion
Read the U.S. Reports opinion (PDF)

2) Summary of the Opinion
After the Colfax Massacre in Louisiana, federal charges were brought against white men who killed dozens of Black citizens. The Supreme Court overturned the convictions, holding that the Bill of Rights did not apply to the states and that the 14th Amendment only restricted state governments, not private individuals.