Final answer:
The Supreme Court began to address social issues in the 1960s through the interpretation of the Commerce Clause, particularly during the era of the Warren Court, which made significant rulings that extended civil rights and liberties in line with the political climate of the Johnson administration's Great Society.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Supreme Court began to address social issues in the 1960s through the interpretation of the Commerce Clause of the Constitution. In this era, the Warren Court played a crucial role in expanding federal powers and addressing civil rights issues. Reflecting the dominant political climate of President Johnson's Great Society, the Warren Court handed down landmark decisions that broadened civil liberties and civil rights. This included cases like Brown v. Board of Education for desegregation, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 which ended discriminatory practices such as literacy tests.
Under Chief Justice Earl Warren, the Court expanded the role and power of the judiciary to include the protection and extension of individual rights. This included decisions like Mapp v. Ohio, which ruled that evidence obtained illegally could not be used in court. The Warren Court was synonymous with a period of liberal reform, tackling issues like school prayer, loyalty oaths, and extending the definitions of symbolic speech.
The Court's actions during this time also reflected the civil rights movement, which had reached its zenith by the late 1960s. Activists used the judiciary to challenge societal norms and defend their rights as seen in the case of Morgan v. the Commonwealth of Virginia, which cited the Commerce Clause to combat racial segregation on interstate buses. As society evolved, the Court's interpretations of the Constitution were shaped by contemporary challenges and the expansion of rights to various groups including African Americans and women.