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Civil Rights
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Dred Scott v. Sanford
Dred Scott was a slave bought by Emerson. His owner then moved into a free territory where slavery was banned. Emerson died and gave Scott and his family to his wife Eliza Sanford, they sought to buy their freedom but Sanford refused. Scott sued her and it was decided that African-Americans are not citizens and cannot sue in federal court and that slaves are considered property and even if moved to a free territory, they aren't free. -
13th Amendment
Abolished Slavery and Involuntary Servitude, unless it was punishment for a crime. -
14th Amendment
Made anyone born in the United States an automatic citizen. Cannot deprive person of life, liberty, or property without due process nor deny any person of equal protection. -
15th Amendment
Cannot deny any person the right to vote based on race or status of servitude. -
Poll Taxes
Taxes placed on voting polls. -
White Primaries
Where only whites were allowed to vote in primaries. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
Upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation in public accommodations a s long as they are of equal quality. -
19th Amendment
Cannot not deny the right to vote based on sex, it gave women the right to vote. -
Brown v. Board of Education
Declared segregation in schools unconstitutional. -
Affirmative Action
Policy favoring those who tend to be discriminated against. -
24th Amendment
Cannot deny someone the right to vote in federal elections if they fail to pay a poll tax, prohibits poll taxes. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Outlaws discrimination based on race, sex, religion, color, or national origin. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Prohibits racial discrimination in voting, including things such as literacy tests. -
Reed v. Reed
Ruled that administrators of cannot discriminate between sexes. -
Equal Rights Amendment
Proposed amendment designed to guarantee equal rights for American citizens regardless of sex, it failed to pass. -
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke
Ruled that racial quotas are unconstitutional but held that some affirmative action programs could be constitutional in certain circumstances. -
Americans with Disabilities Act
Prohibits discrimination based on disability. -
Lawrence v. Texas
Made same sex activity legal in all states and territories and struck down sodomy laws.
