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Dred Scott v Sandford
Dred Scott was a slave from Missouri and resided in Illinois for 10 years which was a free state. After returning to Missouri, he made a suit claiming that because he was in a free state where slavery is forbidden, he should be a free man. He lost the case claim. This was significant because it sparked the civil war with it's ruling. -
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White Primaries
These were primaries where only white citizens were allowed to participate in. The South tried everything they could to minimize opportunities of form slaves and their descendents. They made sure that Black People couldn't be nominated for their election process. In Newberry v United, the supreme court ruled that they couldn't regulate campaign spending so the 14th Amendment doesn't apply. This is significant because it relates to the battle for equality. -
13th Amendment
"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." This was ratified after the civil war was ended and slavery was forbidden in America. -
14th Amendment
This amendment was ratified that granted all African Americans born in the United States citizenship. It also guaranteed rights for all African American citizens and can't be deprived without due process. This is significant because it was during the reconstruction phase of america and the reason why African Americans have rights today is because of this amendment. -
15th Amendment
"The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude." This was very important because it finally gave African Americans the right to vote. How this has led to a long battle of the south disfranchisement and discrimination. -
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Poll Taxes
Poll Taxes were a way for the south to bypass the 15th Amendment and prevent African Americans from voting. This is significant because started a long battle for civil rights of African Americans where they ended up winning by the end of it. -
Plessy V Ferguson
Louisiana made a law that required segregated railway buses. Homer Plessy was 7/8th caucasian but was considered black under the law sat in the whites only. When he was told to get off, he repealed to the supreme court. The Court was in favor of Louisana and stated that Segregation was allowed if they are equal. This is significant because it got repealed in a later case. -
Nineteenth Amendment
"The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex." This is significant because it allowed women to vote for the first time. -
Equal Rights Amendment
This was a proposed amendment to guarantee all rights regardless of sex. This is significant because it's still being talked about to this day about getting it amended into the constitution. -
Brown v Board of Education
A little black girl was denied into an all white school in Kansas. The parents appealed to the supreme court arguing that it went against the equal protection clause. They won the kansas and segregated schools must desegregate. This is significant because it allowed people of all races to go to the same school and it's still prevelant to this day. -
24th Amendment
"The right of citizens of the United States to vote in any primary or other election for President or Vice President, for electors for President or Vice President, or for Senator or Representative in Congress, shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any State by reason of failure to pay poll tax or other tax."
This is significant because it eliminated poll taxes. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
This ended segregation and banned employment discrimination. Proposed by John F Kennedy but signed by his successor Lyndon B Johnson. This started from a spring of Uprising in south where the police tried to suppress a non violent protest. It went to congress and passed after a 14 hour long filibuster in the south. This is significant because African Americans finally have some rights. -
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Affirmative Action
Affirmative Action is favoring minorities or people who've been historical discriminated. It's used primarily in colleges, universities, and hiring in order to improve education or work opportunities. This is significant because it's still being debated about to this day as it's seen a reverse discrimination from Caucasians. -
Voting Rights Acts of 1965
This act was signed by Lyndon B Johnson after he became the president. It eliminated all forms of disfranchisement of African Americans. No Poll Taxes, No Literacy Tests. Senate votes 77 - 19 and The House of Represents voted 335 - 85. This is significant because the that means that the civil rights movement won. -
Reed v Reed
Idaho Probate Code was specified that males must be preferred to females in appointing administrators of estates. After the son dead, the male parent got appointed to administrator rather than the female parent. Sally challenged this to the supreme court. An unanimous decision said that this was unconstitutional to treat them differently based on gender. This was significant for reinforce women's rights -
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke
Allan Bakke was rejected twice from University of California Medical School at Davis. This was because the reserved seats were for minorities. The Supreme court decided that is was unconstitutional and Allan Bakke must be admitted into the school. but some believed that it was permissible. This is significant because it paved the way for affirmative action. -
Bowers v. Hardwick
George has antisodomy laws. Sex between 2 men is considered "sodomy". One day, police witness two men engaging in sex and arrested them both. They were never prosecuted but Bower believed that their right to privacy was violated. The Supreme Court was upheld the antisodomy. This was significant because it leads to long battle of rights for the LGBT and this ruling was later overturned in Lawrence v Texas -
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Americans With Disabilities Act
ADA prohibits discrimination based on disabilities in all public or private areas. Schools, Building, Transportation, and Job are examples of places that must abide by this. Then in 2008 - 2009, the law became Americans With Disabilities Act Amendment Act which made some changes to expand upon the original law. This was significant because it's first time a law like this came and we see it today all the time when we go to public buildings and they include ramps for the physical disabled. -
Lawrence v Texas
A houston cop witnesses two men having consensual private sex while investigate a disturbance. They were arrested and convicted as the law prohibited sex between to men. Held constitutional by the appealate courts but the supreme overturned it a it violate due process of the law. This is significant because it relates to LGBT rights that grow until it the same sex marriage is legal. -
Obergefell v Hodges
Groups of Same Sex sued Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, and Tennessee for banning same sex marriage or refusing to recognize same sex marriage from states that allow it. The plaintiff argued that refusing to acknowledge them or banning it violated the Equal Protection Clause and Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and Civil Rights Act. The Supreme Court (5-4) believe it was unconstitutional to ban same sex marriage. This significant because today LGBT have marriage rights because of this.
