The U.S. Constitution begins with some of the most ambitious words in the history of governance: “We the People of the United States of America, in Order to form a more perfect Union…” For over 200 years now, the Supreme Court of the United States has helped shape that effort like a river’s banks shape its flow. The Court has weighed in on some of the thorniest, most contentious issues in American life. Is “separate but equal” really equal? Does the Constitution protect a right to privacy? Where do the limits of free speech apply?