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Dred Scott v. Sandford
It said that African Americans, whether enslaved or free, were still not citizens and couldn't sue in federal court. It was a catalyst for the American civil war. It was only the second time that the supreme court ruled congress unconstitutional. -
13th Amendment
The thirteenth amendment ridded the US of slavery entirely (post civil war). -
14th Amendment
The 13th, 14th and 15th amendments are reconstructive amendments after the war to abolish slavery and make all persons equal under the law. -
15th Amendment
It allowed African American men to vote, although it wasn't recognized for a century after it was passed. -
Poll Taxes
Poll taxes were implimented for rich, white men to control who votes after the 15th amendment was passed. It had unfair tests so that poor, uneducated men couldn't vote. It later led to the 24th Amendment. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
It was a United States Supreme Court decisions to uphold the act of separating the different races under the "Seperate but equal" doctrine. -
19th Amendment
It allowed women's suffrage. -
White Primaries
White primaries were the rich, white men that could vote, typically in the southern states. They banned blacks from being apart of voting for anything. -
Brown v. Board of Education
Brown argued that two separate schools for two separate colored people were unequal. This caused the overturn of Plessy V. Ferguson and the judge decided that it was unequal under the 14th amendment. -
24th Amendment
The 24th amendment abolished poll taxes. Poll taxes were a violation of the 14th amendment. -
Affirmative action
Affirmative action stated that a certain amount of students in a college had to be black. It was eventually overruled as unconstitutional and that race should not even be considered when viewing applications. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed discriminating people on things they can't control (race, origin, gender, religion and color) in the work place and in schools. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
The voting rights act of 1965 is just an expansion of the 15th amendment so that voting really can't be limited by race. -
Reed v Reed
It was a case over who gets the deceased son's estate after his parents got divorced. Historically, estates went to the husband so the court decided that's who it would go to. Ms. Reed brought it back to court with the 14th amendment and a lawyer. The court decided it was unconstitutional to choose the male to get the estate automatically. -
Equal Rights Amendment
It was proposed to make women equal in all fields, not just voting. It was never ratified. -
Regents of the University of California V. Bakke
The affirmative action law was struck down and justices required race to not be taken into consideration while deciding who is accepted into college. -
Bowers v. Hardwick
A police officer caught Hardwick having consentual oral sex with a male partner and was arrested for sodomy. Ruled that homosexuality was a private matter and was unconstitutional. -
Americans with Disabilities Act
The American Disability Act was improvised so that employers were have to provide reasonable accomodations for those with disabilities. -
Lawrence v. Texas
Officially ruled homosexual sex a private matter and that a person cannot be arrested for it.
