A Historic Supreme Court Appointment
On July 7, 1981, President Ronald Reagan announced that he had chosen Sandra Day O’Connor for a seat on the U.S. Supreme Court. If confirmed, she would become the first woman to serve as a justice on the nation’s highest court. But an announcement alone could not give her the job.
The Constitution gives the president the power to nominate, or formally propose, someone for the Supreme Court. The U.S. Senate then considers the choice. Senators can ask questions about the nominee’s experience and views before voting on whether to confirm the appointment. This process gives two parts of the federal government a role in choosing justices.
Before Reagan chose her, O’Connor had worked as a lawyer and served in Arizona’s state government. She had also been a judge in Arizona. After the July announcement, Reagan formally sent her nomination to the Senate. Senators questioned her during hearings, and on September 21, 1981, the Senate confirmed her by a vote of 99 to 0. She joined the Court later that month.
People wrote to the president about the choice. Letters preserved at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library show that members of the public shared their opinions about O’Connor’s appointment. Such letters offer historians evidence of how some Americans responded at the time, though they cannot tell us what everyone thought.
- Constitution:
- The set of basic laws and principles for the U.S. government.
- justice:
- A judge who serves on a high court.
- confirmed:
- Approved for a position after a vote.
- hearings:
- Meetings where people are asked questions and information is considered.
- preserved:
- Saved and protected so it can be used in the future.
- evidence:
- Information that helps show what happened or whether something is true.
- appointment:
- The selection of a person for a position.
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Main Idea
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Context Clues
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Summarize
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Purpose
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Structure
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Fact & Opinion
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1Why could Reagan’s announcement alone not give O’Connor a seat on the Supreme Court?
- 2How do the president and the Senate each take part in choosing a Supreme Court justice?
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About this explanatory article passage for Upper Elementary
“A Historic Supreme Court Appointment” is a explanatory article reading passage about Sandra Day O’Connor and the Supreme Court, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 2 minutes to read (267 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.