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Dred Scott v Sandford
Scott fought to become a citizen because Missouri denied him citizenship, although he was a free man. The court declared him to be a slave under Article III and IV of the Constitution. They then decided that the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional and they hoped to end the slavery question. -
13th Amendment
The 13th Amendment officially abolished slavery and continues to prohibit slavery in the United States. -
14th Amendment
The 14th Amendment gave a broad definition of citizenship. It overruled the decision made in the Dred Scott v Sandford case which prohibited slaves and their decendents from having constitutional rights. It gave previous slaves citizenship. -
15th Amendment
The 15th Amendment prohibit the government from denying a citizen their right to vote. They could not prohibit a citzen from voting based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude. -
Plessy v Ferguson
This case upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation, even in public accomidations under the doctrine of "Separate but equal". The decision was 7 to 4 for ferguson. This upheld state-imposed segregation. -
19th Amendment
This amendment prohibits the state and federal government from denying any citizen the right to vote based on gender. -
Brown v Board of Education
This case was saying that denying black children unequal educational opportunities was unconstitutional. It was a unanimous decision saying that it was unconstitutional. -
White Primaries
White Primaries were in southern states. Any non-white person was prohibited from voting. White primaries weree made law in many states in a "selective inclusive" system that stated only whites may vote in the primaries. -
Poll Taxes
Southern States imposed poll taxing in order to keep African Americans from voting. The 24th Amendment outlawed Poll Taxing. -
24th Amendment
The 24th Amendment prohibits poll taxes. Poll taxes prevented African Americans from voting. The courts decided that poll taxing was unconstitutional. This only applied to the federal government, but later was applied to state and federal election. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
This act outlawed unequal application of voter registration requirments and racial segregation in schools, at the workplace and by facilities that served the general government. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
This act outlawed discrimitation with voting practices. It prohibited voting qualifications or prerequisite to voting, or standard, practice, or procedure. -
Reed v Reed
This case decision said that disimilar treatment of men and women was unconstitutional. -
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke
This case was about a man who applied to University of California Medical School but was denied twice because he was not a minority. The decision was that Bakke had to be admitted because they were violatin the equal protection clause. -
Equal Rights Amendment
This amendment was intended to guarantee that equal rights under federl, state, or local law could not be denied because of gender. It failed to gain ratification before its deadline. In 2009, it was reintroduced in the house. -
Bowers v. Hardwick
Hardwick was found engaging in homosexual sodomy in his home. He was charged with violating Georgia's laws, so he challenged the law's constitutionality. The court decided that it was constitutional and the states had the right to prohibit sodomy. -
Americans With Diabilities Act
This act prohibits discrimination based on disabilities. -
Lawrence v. Texas
Lawrence was found having sexual intercourse with another man in his home. He was charged for violation of Texas law saying that sexual contact with a person of the same sex was forbidden. The courts decided that Texas law violated the Due Process Clause. -
Affirmative Action
This refers to policies that take race, ethnicity, physical disabilities, military career, gender, or a person's parents' social class into consideration. These are positive steps taken to increase the representation of women and minorities in the work place, education, etc.
