Final answer:
The Supreme Court case of Obergefell v. Hodges (2015) directly affected marriage equality by declaring state bans on same-sex marriage unconstitutional under the Fourteenth Amendment. This was the most significant case addressing marriage rights for same-sex couples, building on earlier decisions such as Lawrence v. Texas and United States v. Windsor.
Step-by-step explanation:
Court Cases Affecting Marriage Equality
Among pivotal cases that have shaped the legal recognition of marriage in the United States, none have had a more direct impact on marriage equality than Obergefell v. Hodges (2015). In this landmark case, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that state bans on same-sex marriage were unconstitutional, thus ensuring marriage rights for same-sex couples across the nation. This decision was made under the Fourteenth Amendment, which provides for equal protection under the law, effectively securing marriage equality and building upon previous cases that had gradually paved the way for this historic ruling.
Prior to Obergefell, several cases had set the stage for marriage equality, including United States v. Windsor (2013), which struck down the Defense of Marriage Act's exclusion of federal benefits for same-sex couples; and Lawrence v. Texas (2003), which invalidated laws criminalizing same-sex intercourse. Complementing these were various state-level decisions and public actions that reflected changing attitudes towards the LGBTQ+ community.
It is important to note that the cases listed in the student's question, such as Brown v. Board of Education (about racial segregation in schools), Roe v. Wade (about abortion rights), Bush v. Gore (about the 2000 presidential election), and McDonald v. City of Chicago (about gun rights), did not directly affect marriage equality. Instead, the evolution of marriage rights, particularly for same-sex couples, was defined by a series of other significant court decisions culminating in Obergefell v. Hodges.