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Constitutional Law Keyed to Maggs
Van Orden v. Perry
Citation:
545 U.S. 677 (2005)Facts
The 22 acres surrounding the Texas State Capitol contain 17 monuments and 21 historical markers commemorating the people, ideals, and events that compose Texan identity. The monolith challenged here stands 6-feet high and 3 1/2-feet wide. It is located to the north of the Capitol building, between the Capitol and the Supreme Court building. Its primary content is the text of the Ten Commandments. An eagle grasping the American flag, an eye inside of a pyramid, and two small tablets with what appears to be an ancient script are carved above the text of the Ten Commandments. Below the text are two Stars of David and the superimposed Greek letters Chi and Rho, which represent Christ.
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