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Dred Scott v. Sandford
Surpreme court held that african americans, because they are not considered Us citizens, could not take someone to court. Catalyst to the civil war, basically. -
Amendment 13
Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction, slavery is not allowed. -
14th Amendment
The 14th amendment broadens the definition of citizenship to include former slaves. It prohibits states from denying United States citizens rights guaranteed by the Constitution. The fourteenth amendment prohibits Confederate officials from holding public office, repealable by a 2/3 vote in each house of Congress. The fourteenth amendment prohibits financial restitution to Confederate soldiers and slaveholders. -
15th Amendment
The fifteenth amendment makes it illegal to deny someone the right to vote based on race or color. It also prevents states from denying the right to vote to freed slaves. -
Plessy vs. Ferguson
Stated that racial segregation was still considered legal, as "seperate but equal" in a 7-1 decision. As long as services were equal quality, it would be legal, but many states in the south refused to provide blacks with the same services. -
19th Amendment
The Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits any United States citizen from being denied the right to vote on the basis of sex. It was ratified on August 18, 1920. -
White Primaries
White primaries were primary elections in the Southern States of the United States of America in which any non-White voter was prohibited from participating. White primaries were established by the Democratic Party or state legislatures in many Southern States after 1890. Smith v. Allwright declared these illegal. -
Brown V. Board of Education
A landmark United States Supreme Court case in which the Court declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students unconstitutional. The decision overturned the Plessy v. Ferguson decision of 1896. -
Affirmative Action
Affirmative action is the policy of providing special opportunities for, and favoring members of, a disadvantaged group who suffer discrimination.The United Nations Human Rights Committee states that "the principle of equality sometimes requires States parties to take affirmative action in order to diminish or eliminate conditions which cause or help to perpetuate discrimination prohibited by the Covenant. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is a landmark piece of civil rights legislation in the United States that outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a landmark piece of federal legislation in the United States that prohibits discrimination in voting. The Act establishes extensive federal oversight over elections. -
Poll Taxes
A poll tax was used as a de facto or implicit pre-condition of the exercise of the ability to vote. This tax emerged in some states of the United States in the late 19th century as part of the Jim Crow laws. In the 1966 case of Harper v. Virginia Board of Elections, the Supreme Court overruled its decision in Breedlove v. Suttles, and extended the prohibition of poll taxes to state elections. It declared that the imposition of a poll tax in state elections violated the Equal Protection Clause. -
Reed vs Reed
Couple were arguing over an Idaho law in which males had to be prefered over females. Reed vs Reed ruled that administrators over estates could not be named in a way that discriminates females. -
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke
Case that upheld affirmative action, allowing race to be a factor in college admission policy. Quotas, however, were considered not permissable. -
Equal Rights Amendment
The Equal Rights Amendment was a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution designed to guarantee equal rights for women. In 1972, it passed both houses of Congress and went to the state legislatures for ratification. 3/4 of states failed to ratify it though. -
Bowers v. Hardwick
Supreme Court in a 5-4 decision upheld the decision that there could be anti-sodomy laws in place. At the time, homosexuality was described as "infamous in nature" and "worse than rape". -
Americans with Disabilities Act
Law that prohibits discrimination based on disability. A disability was defined as "a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity" -
Lawrence v. Texas
Struck down the anti-sodomy laws in Texas, therefore, overturning the decision made in Bowers vs. Hardwick, and making same-sex relations legal in every state. 13 states had the anti-sodomy laws invalidated. -
Texas v. Fisher
Race was a deciding (but limited) factor for a texas college, and Fisher argued against it. The supreme court upheld the decision that race was a legal and limiting factor.
