John Marshall (1755–1835) was the fourth chief justice of the United States Supreme Court. He served from 1801 to 1835. He was instrumental in shaping the Court into an equal branch of government.
Marshall made the Supreme Court the interpreter of the Constitution by using judicial review. His decisions were not always popular. Thomas Jefferson, who served as president from 1801 to 1809, was not happy with Marshall.
Politically, Marshall was a Federalist. Federalists opposed the Democratic-Republicans led by Jefferson. Specifically, Federalists wanted a vigorous national government. Jefferson's party, on the other hand, favored more decentralization of governmental power.
Marshall's enhancement of the Supreme Court's powers coincided with national expansion and economic development: the country's population grew and spread out, and canals were built to connect distant parts of the nation.
In summary, Marshall was the most important chief justice in the history of the Supreme Court.
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