-
Dred Scott v. Sandford
A 7-2 decision for Standford. The majority held that Americans with African descent were not American citizens and could not sue in court. The court also declared that the right of slave owners was constitutionally protected because slaves were categorized as property. -
13nd Amendment
US Constitution abolished slavery and involuntary servitude except as a punishment for a crime. -
14nd Amendment
One of the reconstruction amendments, it gave all people born and naturalized in the United States citizenship in the US. Everyone was also given equal protection of the laws. -
15nd Amendment
The rights of the citizens to vote shall not be abridged by the state through any account of race, color, or previous servitude. -
Poll Taxes
Part of the Jim Crow Laws, poll taxes were enacted after the right to vote was given to all races as an attempt to thwart the movements. -
White Primaries
These were primary elections held in the South in which whites were the only ones allow to participate. This was one of the methods used to disfranchise black and minority voters -
Plessy v. Ferguson
In 1890, Louisiana passed the Separate Car Act, basically segregating train cars for railroads. Homer Plessy, a man of mixed decent in opposition of the act, purchased a first class ticket and sat in the whites-only car. Plessy was immediately arrested fro defying the law. he took it all the way to the supreme court only for its outcome in favor of Louisiana having the power to regulate train companies within state boundaries. Those a debate of "Separate But Equal". -
19nd Amendment
The amendment prohibited the denial of suffurage on the basis of gender. -
Equal Rights Amendment
Addition to the constitution designed to guarantee equal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex. it seeks to end any legal distinctions between and men and women in terms of divorce, property, and employment.
(First proposed 1921) -
Brown v. Board of Education
Prohibits the segregation of students based on race based on the Equal Protection Clause. Unanimous Decision for Brown -
Affirmative Action
A executive order stating that government employers can not discriminate employees or applicants based on race, creed, color, or national origin and that all employees are treated without regard to their race, creed, color, or national origin. -
24nd Amendment
Prevents both Congress and states from issuing a poll tax when concerning federal elections. -
Civil Rights Act
Discrimination based on race, color, religion or national origin is prohibited when dealing with interstate comerce. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Anyone has the ability to vote and it shall not be prohibited based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude -
Reed v. Reed
Sally and Cecil Reed, a split couple having in conflict over ownership of an estate. Idaho code stated that "males must be preferred over females" in deciding administration of estate. Cecil was appointed and Sally took it to the courts and argued that her 14nd amendment was being violated. The case came up to the Supreme Court and they ruled unanimously that the Idaho code was arbitrary and unconstitutional under the 14nd Amendment. -
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke
The case had no single majority, 4 argued that any racial quota system supported by the government violated the Civil Rights Act. The school was also violating the 14nd amendment through the rigid use of the quota. -
Bowers v. Hardwick
Based off an invalid warrant and violation of public ordinance, Michael Hardwick was arrested for sodomy after officer Keith Torick came to serve out the warrant. In Georgia, sodomy is a felony that carried imprisonment. Hardwick sued the attorney general of Georgia, Micheal Bowers, in a federal court for a judgement that the state's law is invalid. In the Supreme Court, ruling 5-4 in favor of the sodomy laws. under the 14nd Amend, privacy of that matter did not extend. -
Americans with Disabilities Act
A civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life. This includes jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public. -
Lawrence v. Texas
Due to the Due Process clause people have the right to privatly engage in "their" conduct.
