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Dred Scott v. Sandford
The Dred Scott ruling stated that both free and enslaved African Americans were not considered to be American citizens and that they were unable to sue in court. This is shown through Dred Scott, who was a slave that lived in a free state but was not granted his freedom. -
13th Amendment
After the civil war, the 13th amendment was ratified in order to abolish slavery. The amendment is the first time the Consitution specifically discusses the issue of slavery. -
14th Amendment
The 14th Amendment states that anyone born or naturalized in the United States are guaranteed citizenship as well as equal protection of their natural rights. It was implemented in order to allow for citizenship and equal rights for previous slaves and other African Americans. -
15th Amendment
The 15th amendment stated that any citizen in the United States should not be denied the right to vote according to their "race, color, or previous condition of servitude”. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
The Plessy decision allowed for the "separate but equal" doctrine, which stated that segregation of races was permitted providing that each is given the same "equal" opportunities and or resources. -
Poll Taxes
Primarily in southern states, poll taxes were implemented as an attempt to restrict African Americans from exercising their right to vote. They were required to pay a tax before being eligible to vote in that particular ballot. The loophole used to excuse poor white citizens from this tax was called the "Grandfather Clause", which stated that if their "grandfather" was able to vote (essentially anyone before the civil war), they can too. -
White Primaries
In the early 1900’s as the primary for the next election was taking place. State legislatures in South Carolina, Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Georgia only permitted white citizens to be able to vote. This was a voting method used by white democrats to disenfranchise many black people and others of minority groups. -
19th Amendment
This amendment to the US Constitution allowed women to have the right to vote, explaining the men and women should be provided with equal voting rights and opportunities. -
Brown v. Board of Education
I: This case trumped the Plessy v. Ferguson decision. It made segregation in schools illegal, saying that it was unconstitutional.
II: Declared that schools needed to integrate “with all deliberate speed”. -
Affirmative Action
Affirmative action is the policy that involves giving specific rights to people and their race, sex, religion, and origin are considered when being provided with opportunities. The purpose of implementing this policy was to help advance underrepresented groups in society. -
24th Amendment
The 24th amendment prevented states from implementing a poll tax (or any other type of tax) in an attempt to stop African Americans from exercising their right to vote. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
This act authorized the national government to end segregation in public education and public accommodations. It established the EEOC and states no discrimination in employment due to race, color, religion, national origin, or sex. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
The Voting Rights Act was passed in an attempt to override laws created by state and local courts to prevent African Americans from being able to vote. This act was signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965. -
Reed v. Reed
This case involves the Idaho Probate Code that stated that "males must be preferred to females" when being judged for who should receive an estate. Sally Reed challenged this when her ex, Cecil Reed, was given her son's estate after his death simply because Cecil was a male. The court decision was unanimous and agreed that this treatment was unconstitutional due to the Equal Protection Clause and Fourteenth Amendment. -
Equal Rights Amendment
This proposed amendment to the US Constitution intended to stop discrimination between the sexes. This is primarily relevant in issues regarding divorce, property, and employment, but ranges among many other topics. It aims to bring equal legal rights to all, regardless of sex. -
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke
Allan Bakke applied for medical school at the University of California and was rejected twice. The school reserved 16 places for minorities of each accepted class of 100 students. They accepted these 16 students in an effort to abolish any unfair minority exclusions. Bakkes grades and test scores exceeded all 32 accepted students of the two years he applied and was rejected. He viewed this as exclusion based primarily of his race. -
Bowers v. Hardwick
This court case involved Michael Hardwick, a homosexual man, that chose to participate in consensual sodomy with another man in his own home. A Georgia police officer saw them and proceeded to charge him for his crime. Hardwick challenged this, and the Court of Appeals claimed that Georgia was unconstitutional, but the Supreme court ruled that the Constitution did not guarantee this right and that it was up to the states to make those decisions. -
Americans with Disabilities Act
The American with Disabilities Act aimed to provide the same opportunities and rights to American citizens with disabilities. It prevents people with disabilities from being discriminated against in public places like jobs, school, and transportation. -
Lawrence v. Texas
John Lawernce was to be inspected for a reported weapon disturbance in his private residence. When the police came to respond, they caught him and another man engaging in sexual intercourse. They were immediately arrested upon deviate sexual intercourse in violation of a Texas statute forbidding two persons of the same sex to engage in certain intimate sexual conduct. This decision was not ruled unconstitutional under the Due Process Clause of the 14th amendment. -
Obergefell v. Hodges
In 2015, the supreme court ruled 5-4 that the marriage of same-sex couples is protected by the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses in the Fourteenth Amendment. The decision explained that the right to marriage is a "fundamental liberty", due to the protection and legal binding that comes with being married.
