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Dred Scott v. Sandford
The case was filed over the question of Dred Scott's freedom. He was a slave who moved with his master to the Louisiana Territory where slavery is prohibited by the Missouri Compromise. Scott argued that because he lived in a territory that outlawed slavery he became a free man even though his master moved back to Missouri which aloud slavery. The courts ruled in favor of Sandford over the fact that Scott was not a citizen under Article 3 of the constitution. -
13th Amendment
The 13th Amendment abolished all slavery and forced servitude in the US. It was enacted by congress shortly after the Civil War. Its main goal was to end slavery in the south while also reintegrating them back in to the us. Its also worth noting that forced servitude is only legal if for punishment for a crime. -
14th Amendment
The 14th Amendment gives everyone born in the United States citizenship. This was ratified to prevent situation like the Dred Scott case. It also set the ground work for letting African- Americans vote. It also put the due process clause that forces all the states to follow the Bill of Rights. This clause has also been used in many court cases over civil liberties and civil rights. -
15th Amendment
The 15th Amendment gave everyone citizen the right to vote. It made it illegal to withhold anyone right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude. -
White Primaries
White primaries were a strategies used by many southern states that prevented African-American voters from voting in the primary elections. The southern states also made changes to their constitutions to make voter registration harder. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
This case call a Louisiana law over separate train cars for White and African-Americans. Homer Plessy was a citizen who believed that the law was wrong. He was one eighth African- American and under Louisiana law considered black. A small group of citizens and the railroad asked him to test the limits of the law and Plessy sat in the white only car. He was arrested. The court ruled that the law was constitutional as long as the facilities are equal to those of the white passengers. -
19th Amendment
The 19th Amendment made it illegal to restrict anyone right to vote based on their sex. The amendment gave women the right to vote after many years of protest by many women such as Elizabeth Stanton. Women had started asking for suffrage back in 1848 when the Sencea falls convention was held. Although the Amendment was ratified in 1920 some states started allowing women's suffrage in 1910. This paved the way for the amendment and created a federal standard. -
Brown v. Board of Education
The Brown v. Board of education case dealt with segregation in schools. In many states schools were segregated any some African-American students had been denied admittance into the white school. They then sued the schools. They argued that the segregation violated the 14th amendment and the equal protection clause. The court ruled that separate but equal education facilities are inherently unequal. -
Poll Tax
Poll taxes were exactly what they sound like. They are a tax that are put on the ability to vote. These taxes were put on polls to prevent African-American's from voting. this was not fixed until the 24th Amendment. -
24th Amendment
the 24th Amendment made it illegal for anyone to charge poll tax to pay in order to vote. This amendment covered up all the loop holes that was the south exploited with Jim Crow laws. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 made discrimination due to race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in the work place. This was part of America counter acting the mistreatment of minorities. This Act has now protected them and their jobs. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was another piece of legislation that helped to protect the mistreatment of minority citizens and their voting rights. Its main goal was to illuminate literacy test and grandfather clauses that many southern states had adopted to prevent African-Americans from voting. -
Reed v. Reed
The Reed v. Reed case was based on women's rights in appointing as administer of estate. The cases all started with the death f the Reed's son both his mother and father believed they should be the administrator of the estate. The case was filed in Idaho which had a law favoring men and over women in administrators of estates. The court ruled unanimously that the law discriminates against women. -
Equal Rights Amendment
The Equal Rights Amendment is an amendment that would make discrimination based on sex illegal. Although this may seem that this right was given in the Bill of Rights this Amendment helped women in ways that aren't covered by the first 10. Such as divorce, property, and employment. -
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke
This case questioned Affirmative action and if it was reveres discriminating. A white male had applied to the University of California's medical school and been denied twice. The university with holds 16 of the 100 slots for qualified members of minority groups. Bakke's GPA and test scores were better than all of the students enter via the Affirmative action program. The court ultimately ruled in favor of Bakke and also extended the opportunities for minorities. -
Affirmative Action
Affirmative Action is a concept that allows people from minorities to get a leg up on people who come from other backgrounds. This is used in many different types of environments like jobs and college. It is used to help members of minorities escape the environment. -
Bowers v, Hardwick
Micheal Hardwick was/ is a citizen from Georgia. He was seen by a police officer doing some adult things with a fellow man in his home. Under Georgia sodomy law it was illegal. Hardwick challenged his arrest in court. The court ruled that the constitution had no protection for acts of sodomy. -
Americans with Disabilities Act
The Americans with disabilities Act outlawed any discrimination against any person with a disability. It can be from any kind of disability such as loss of hearing, blindness, or loss of a limb. The act protects people in areas such as employment, transportation, public accommodations, communications and access to state and local government programs and services. This act forced many government building to be renovated to be wheelchair excusable. -
Lawrence v. Texas
The Houston police were responding to a a reported weapons disturbance. During this they entered in the apartment of John Lawrence and found John and a fellow male doing adult things. They were both arrested under Texas's law against two people doing adult things of the same sex. The Court ruled that Texas' law against two people of the same sex doing mature things is illegal under the due process clause in the 14th amendment. -
Obergefell v. Hodges
Obergefell v. Hodges is another landmark court case that set the president on same sex marriage. A group of same sex couple sued their states over their ban on same sex marriages. The plaintiffs argued that the states bans violated the Equal Protection Clause and Due Process clause in the 14th Amendment. In the end the court ruled in favor of the plaintiff and that the Equal Protection Clause and 14th amendment due process clause protect same sex couples.
