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Dred Scott v. Sandford
Dred Scott was a slave in Missouri that was found in Illinois, a free state. When he was found and brought back to Missouri, Scott sued saying that since he was living in a free state he should be a free man. Scott lost the case and this set a standard for future slaves attempting to escape for freedom. -
13th Amendment
This amendment not only abolished slavery, but also all involuntary servitude including as a punishment for a crime. This was important because it began the process of seeing African Americans as actual people and giving them their own rights in the constitution. It BEGAN to protect them unlike previously in history. -
14th Amendment
The fourteenth amendment granted citizenship to all people born in the United States including formerly enslaved people. This was important because it allowed the children of non US citizens to be legal if born on US soil. This granted people futures and rights in the United States and also could be a factor of motivation for their parents to go through the long (too long) process of becoming a United States citizen. -
15th Amendment
The fourteenth amendment granted all men the right to vote, including African American men. This got rid of the ability to require literacy tests, poll taxes, etc. and made voting accessible to all men. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
Separate but equal. This court decision decided that segregation doesn't violate the constitution as long as both places/things are equal in quality. This set a precedent that allowed separation to grow. -
19th Amendment
The nineteenth amendment expanded the right to vote to women. Women protested and fought this right for a long time in an attempt to reach closer gender equality. The passing of the nineteenth amendment finally granted this long fought right. -
Brown v. Board of Education
This court decision began to go against plessy v. ferguson. It decided that segregation in public schools is unconstitutional and began the process in integrating public schools, which took many years to truly happen everywhere and be accepted. -
Affirmative Action
Affirmative action is also known as "positive discrimination". It seeks to include minorities and groups of people by searching for those who are underrepresented in an area and giving them opportunities like jobs or education. The first president to enforce affirmative action was Kennedy. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The act prohibits the discrimination of people based on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. This act also played a role in the removal of things like the poll tax, literacy tests, etc. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
This act worked to remove the barriers that still stood before African American men in their attempt to vote. It determined that, despite the passing of the 15th amendment, there was still racial discrimination in voting in many areas. This act worked to remove this discrimination. -
Jim Crow Era
The Jim Crow laws were state and local laws passed that enforced racial segregation. Under these laws, African Americans were viewed and treated as second class citizens. Many things were made illegal for black men including eating with white people, showing public affection, shaking hands, etc. The era was said to of ended in 1965. -
Reed v. Reed
This court decision decided that one can not be named an administrator of a state based on sex. It continued to pave the way for further gender equality in the United States. -
Equal Rights Amendment
The equal rights amendment is a part of the constitution that ensured gender equality between men and women. The amendment had the goal to end inequalities in divorce, property, employment, etc. -
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke
This supreme court case decided that using race as a definite and exclusive basis for an admission decision violated the Equal Protections clause of the fourteenth amendment. However, this decision didn't make using race as a factor illegal considering many colleges look for poc in order to increase diversity. -
Bowers v. Hardwick
This court ruling decided that there was no right to privacy for homosexual activities. This decision made the fight for lgbtqia+ rights even longer and harder. -
Americans with Disabilities Act
The Americans with disabilities act protects those who are disabled in many different areas of life. It acted to get rid of any discrimination based on having disabilities. -
Motor Voter Act
The act created new laws about voting including requiring states to offer voter registration opportunities at state motor vehicle agencies. The effect of this act is that voter representation majorly increased that next year. -
Lawrence v. Texas
This court decision began the protection of same-sex couples because it decided that punishing adults for consensual heterosexual activities is against the constitution. This ruling was important because it began the journey of providing equal rights and protections to homosexual individuals in the United States. -
Obergefell v. Hodges
This court decision decided that the right to same sex marriage is protected by multiple parts of the constitution. While this decision didn't make homosexuals' lives as easy as that of heterosexuals', it did ensure them basic equal rights. This was important because it began to treat them as people and allow them the same rights as their fellow citizens.