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Dred Scott v Sanford
Dred Scott was a former slave living in a free state and he filed suit in Missouri court for his freedom, but he lost. The court ruled that a "negro, whose ancestors were imported into [the U.S.], and sold as slaves" could not be an American citizen. -
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." -
14th Amndment
This amendment stated that "all persons born in the United States" were citizens and were to be given "full and equal benefit of all laws." -
15th Amendment
The 15th amendment stated that "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." -
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Poll Taxes
After the 15th Amendment was passed, many southern states adopted poll taxes to disenfranchise black people and also poor whites. -
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White Primaries
These are primaries where only white people can vote. These were established to exclude African Americans from voting -
Plessy v Ferguson
Plessy refused to leave a whites-only railway car as required by the Separate Car Act in Louisiana. Plessy argued that this law violated the 13th and 14th amendments. The Supreme Court ruled that the Separate Car Act was constitutional because the cars were "separate but equal". -
19th Amendment
This amendment gave women the right to vote. The right to vote "shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex." -
Brown v Board of Education
Black students had been denied admittance into white schools because of segregation. Brown argued that segregation was in violation of the Equal Protection Clause in the 14th Amendment. The court ruled that "Separate but equal educational facilities for racial minorities is inherently unequal violating the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment." -
Affirmative Action
This program encourages the education and hiring of minorities that have suffered discrimination in the past. The law states that employers should "take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed, and employees are treated during employment, without regard to their race, creed, color, or national origin." -
24th Amendment
Southern states set up poll taxes and other laws in order to discourage African Americans from voting. This amendment prohibited poll taxes in federal elections. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
It outlaws discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin and prohibits unequal application of voter registration requirements, racial segregation in schools, employment, and public accommodations. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
This outlawed discriminatory voting restrictions that many southern states had adopted to discourage black people from voting. -
Reed v Reed
The law stated that "males must be preferred to females" in matters of administrating estates. Cecil (man) and Sally Reed were separated when their son died and they both wanted his estate. Because of this law, Cecil was granted the estate. The Supreme Court ruled that Idaho law violated the 14th amendment. -
Equal Rights Amendment
This amendment was designed to guarantee equal rights under the law for all US citizens regardless of sex. -
Regents of the University of California v Bakke
Allan Bakke had applied to (and been rejected from) the University of California, but they had 16 slots reserved for "qualified minorities". Bakke argued that because his "qualifications" exceeded those of the minority students admitted, that he was denied admittance because of his race. The court ruled that "Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 provides Bakke a cause of action." -
Bowers v Hardwick
Georgia had passed an Anti-Sodomy Act. Two men were caught engaging in sexual activity tat violated this law and they were charged. The court ruled that the states had the right to create Anti-Sodomy laws. -
Americans with Disabilities Act
This law prohibits the discrimination of citizens based on disability. -
Lawrence v Texas
Texas had laws prohibiting two males from engaging in sexual activities. Lawrence and another man were caught having sex and they were arrested. The court ruled that Texas's law violated the Due Process Clause.
