Final answer:
During the period between the Civil War and the New Deal, the Supreme Court grappled with the balance of power between the national government and the states, eventually supporting increased national authority with decisions affirming New Deal measures.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the period from the end of the Civil War to the New Deal, the Supreme Court's dominant issue was the balance of power between state and federal authorities, spotlighting the tension between national authority and states' rights. The pivotal moments in this era included the Dred Scott decision, which influenced the Civil War, the imposition of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments during Reconstruction, and the New Deal programs of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, which faced judicial obstacles from a Supreme Court favoring dual federalism. However, as the political climate evolved, the Court under Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes began to lean in support of New Deal measures, signaling an increased affirmation of national authority over previously state-dominated issues.