-
Dred Scott vs. Sandford
In the Dred Scott versus Sandford case, the supreme court ruled that a slave who had escaped to a free state had no rights as a citizen and that congress had no right to ban slavery in territories. This is significant to civl rights because due to this case, slaves had no rights in any states. -
Thirteenth Amendment
The Thirteentth Amendment was ratified after the civil war. It abolished slavery and involuntary enslavement. This is significant to Civil rights because slavery was finally ended and it began the road to African American rights. -
Fourteenth Amendment
The Fourteenth Amendment basically says that no state can make a law denying any citizen privelges. The amendment also states that no state can deny any citizen of life, liberty, or property without due process of the law. This is significant to the Civil Rights because it finally gave African Americans basic rights and citizenship. -
Fifteenth Amendment
The Fifteenth Amendment gave African Americans the right to vote. Even though there were going to be obstables to climb through, this amendment was significant because it gave African Americans the ability to have a say in their government. -
Plessy versus Ferguson
Plessy versus Ferguson was the consitutional justification for segregation by ruling that a Louisiana Law requiring "equal but seperate accomodations for the white and colored races" was constitutional. This was significant to civil rights because it, once again, gave African Americans a disadvantage. -
Nineteenth Amendment
The Nineteenth Amendment gauranteed women the right to vote. This was significant to civil rights because it gave women a say in their government. -
White Primaries
White Primaries were one of the means used to turn African Americans away from voting. Heavily politcal parties would exclude African Americans from primary elections, stripping African Americans of their voice in real elections. This was declared unconstitutional in 1944. This was significant to civil rights because it took African American's voice away where it really mattered. -
Brown versus Board of Education
Brown versus Board of Education ruled that school segregation was unconstitutional because it violated the fourteenth Amendments gaurantee of equal protection. This was important to civil rights because it gave African Americans the chance to get the same protection and education as white children. -
Affirmative Action
Affirmative Action was a policy designed to give special attention to or compensatory treatment for members of some previously disadvantaged group. This is significant to civil rights because it gave special advantages to people who were once unpriveleged. -
Poll Taxes
Poll taxes were small taxes placed on the right to vote that were often due at a time when poor African American sharecroppers didn't have a ton of money on hand. This was used by most Southern states to exclude African Americans from voting. These taxes were made illegal by the 24th Amendment. This was significant to civil rights because it placed a voting restriction on mostly African Americans. -
Twenty-fourth Amendment
The twenty-fourth Amendment was the constitutional amendment that declared poll taxes illegal in federal elections.This is significant to the Civil Rights because it abolished any unfair voting blocks for freed slaves. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a law that made racial discrimination against any group in hotels, motels, and restaurants illegal and fdisregarded many forms of job discrimination. This was significant to civil rights becasue it gave every group of people the same opportunities. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was a law that was designed to help end barriers to African American suffrage. Because of this law, hundreds of thousands of African Americans were registered to vote and the number of African American elected officials increased a lot. This is significant to civil rights because it gave everyone an equal chance to vote. -
Reed versus Reed
Reed versus Reed was when the supreme court for the first time upheld a claim of gender discrimination. This is significant to civil rights because it finally gave both genders equal rights in a court setting. -
Equal Rights Amendment
Equal Rigths Amendment was the equality of rigths under the law shall not be denied by the United States on account of gender. This was significant to civil rights because it gave males and females equal rights. -
Regents of the University of California versus Bakke
Regents of the University of California versus Bakke was the supreme court ruling that a state university could not admit less qualified individuals solely based on race. This was significant to civil rigts because it give everyone a fair chance of getting into college. -
Bowers versus Hardwick
Hardwick was caught engaging in homosexual sodomy. They were charged for violating a Georgia Statute. Supreme court ruled Georgia's Statute was constitutional. This was significant to civil rights because it put restricitions on gay people. -
Americans With Disabilities Act
The Americans With Disability Act requires employers and public facilities to make "reasonable accomodations" for people with disabilities and prohibits discrimination against disabled people in employment. This is significant because it gave disabled people equal rights. -
Lawrence Versus Texas
Lawrence versus Texas was another act of homosexual sodomy charged for violating a Texas Statute. The court ruled this unconstitutional under the due process clause of the fourteenth Amendment. This was significant to civil rights because it gave gays the right to privacy.
