-
Period: to
Civil Rights
-
Dred Scott v. Sandford
Dred Scott was a slave in Missouri. He then resided in a free state, Illinois. He later moved back to Missouri and sued for his freedom. His master said that he could not be a citizen. Dred Scott lost the case. The supreme court ruled agreed with his master that a "negro" could not be a citizen of the United States. -
13th Amendment
The 13th Amendment outlawed slavery and thus freed the slaves. -
14th Amendment
All people born in the United States are citizens. This allowed for former slaves that were freed by the 13th amendment to become citizens. It also guaranteed some basic protection for citizens. -
15th Amendment
Citizens shall not be prevented from voting on the account of race. The third post Civil War amendment. The slaves were freed. Then they are citizens. Now they can vote. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
Louisiana was trying to segregate whites and blacks. Plessy argued that this separation was in violation of the 13th and 14th amendment. The Supreme Court concluded that as long as facilities were equal then they can be separated. This allowed for separate but equal to be common in many states. -
Nineteenth Amendment
Can't deny someone the right to vote on the basis of sex. Women could now vote. -
White Primaries
Voting primaries in which only white people could participate. It discouraged votes from Blacks. Smith v Allwright overturned Grovey v. Townsend thus outlawing white primaries in 1944. -
Brown v. Board of Education
Some public school students claimed that racial segregation violated the 14th amendment. Their opposition cited Plessy v. Ferguson. The Supreme Court declared that public schools could not be separated. -
24th Amendment
Citizens are guaranteed to be able to vote in primary elections. Poll taxes could not be applied. -
Poll Taxes
Poll taxes were a fixed amount tax that a citizen had to pay usually to vote. They were outlawed with the introduction of the 24th amendment. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Signed by Lyndon B. Johnson. The act prohibited discrimination in public places. Provided for integration in schools and other places. It also made employee discrimination illegal. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Signed by Lyndon B. Johnson. It outlawed voting discrimination laws including things like literacy tests. -
Affirmative Action
Measures meant to prevent present and future discrimination. Spiked in use in 1965. it also tries to insure equal representation in multiple areas of society. -
Reed v. Reed
Idaho law states that males are preferred to female in appointing administrators of estates. Was this a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment? The court unanimously agreed that the law was unconstitutional. -
Equal Rights Amendment
Guaranteed protection against sexual discrimination for women under law. It was passed in both houses then sent to the states for ratification. It did not get a 3/4 vote by the states, so it was shut down. -
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke
The University of California had affirmative measures put in place that reserved spots for minorities. Bakke kept trying to get in but was denied since he was not a minority. The Supreme Court didn't have one majority opinion. Bakke ended up getting admitted. A racial quota system supported by the government was a violation of the civil rights act. 4 judges however disagreed. -
Bowers v. Hardwick
Hardwick was caught by a Georgia officer having homosexual intercourse which violated Georgia law. The Supreme Court ruled that there was no constitutional protection for acts of sodomy. Therefore states could outlaw it. -
Americans with Disabilities Act
Prohibits discrimination based on disability. It protects anything from parking to voting. -
Motor Voter Act
Also known as The National Voter Registration Act of 1993, the Motor Voter Act set some requirements for voter registration in federal elections. States have to offer registration at motor vehicle agencies like the BMV. -
Lawrence v. Texas
Lawrence was engaged in a homosexual act while police entered his apartment. He was arrested because Texas law was previously allowed as confirmed in Bowers v Hardwick. He claimed that Texas law violates the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The Supreme Court agreed with Lwarence and Bowers was overturned. -
Obergefell v. Hodges
It was argued that a state needs to recognize same sex marriage due to the 14th amendment. In a 5-4 vote the Supreme Court agreed. States now have to administer same sex marriage and recognize same sex marriages in other states.