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Dred Scott v. Sandford
The case questioned if Scott was a slave or free. After living in Illinois for 10 years he filed for his freedom in Missouri and was denied. He therefore filed with the supreme court. In a 7-2 ruling it was decided that since Scott's parents were slaves meaning he wasn't a citizen & moving to a new state did not emancipate him. Majority decision was written by Judge Taney. Taney also ruled that slaves were property under the 5th amendment, any law that hinders their owner is unconstitutional. -
13th amendment
The 13th amendment was passed after the emancipation proclamation which didn't free the slaves. it made it abolished slavery, involuntary servitude and the use of slavery to pay for debt. It also prohibitted confederate states from paying former slave owners war compensations. -
14th amendment
This amendment was intended to overturn Dred Scott case. The 14th amendment granted citizenship to recently freed slaves and the citizenship clause also granted automatic citizenship to anyone born in the united states. This amendment also granted equal protection under the law. This clause has being pivotal in many court cases following its ratification. -
15th amendment
The 15th amendment stated that voting cannot be denied on the basis of race, color or previous conditions of servitude. This amendment was passed after the civil war due to dicriminatory practices such as literacy tests, grandfather clauses, and KKK territories that prevented people of color from voting. Also allowd congress to enforce the right to vote through legislation. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
Plessy v. Ferguson can easily be considered one of the major setbacks towards civil rights in U.S. history. The case began when Homer Plessy a missed race man sat on a whites only train. Plessy argued that the seperate-but-equal agreement violated the 14th anmendment. equal protection clause. Essentially it was decied in a 7-1 majority that seperate-but-equal facilities was constitutional because such facilites were of similar qualities. -
19th Amendment
After many years of the women's suffrage movememt, the 19th amendment was passed and it stated that voting was not to be prohibited on the basis of gender. -
Browns v. Board of Education
Plessy v Ferguson was a dissapointment but Brown v Board of Education was a redemption case. The case overturned Plessy v Ferguson saying that seperate-but-equal facilities were infact unconstitutional as it violated the equal protection clause. Chief Justice Warren delivered the majority decision stating the effects of segregation on students of color and the overwhelming sense of inferiority the system fostered. -
24th Amendment
The 24th Amendment was created to further remove barriers that hindered people from voting. This amendment does his by saying that people cannot be hindered from voting because of poll taxes or other taxes in federal voting. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The civil rights movement as a whole was as a result of African American wanting basic human rights that had not been previously awared to them. Passed in 1964 the civil rights act prohibits discrimination due to race, religion, color, sex and national origin. This act also strengthened the enforcement of voting rights, and desegregation of public facilities. -
Affirmative Action
Affirmative action was passed by President Lyndon B. Johnson issued an executive order to ensure the equality of employment opportunity without regard to race, religion and national origin. It was created to right the wrongs done to minorities---people of color and women. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
The voting rights acts was passed 95 years after the 15th amendment that was meant to make voting accessible to African Americans. However they continued to face discrimination such as literacy tests, physical acts of violence and other acts that made sure their voices weren't heard. After the events of Selma attention was brought to the matter and President Johnson with the help of congress signed the voting rights act that outlawed discriminatory voting practices. -
Equal Rights Amendment
The Equal Rights Amendment although is yet to be ratified is meant to protect against sexual discrimination for both men and women. -
Title IX
Title IX grew out of the feminist movement and the civil rights movement. Upon its passing Title IX prohibited sexual discrimination in a federally funded organization or program. This also meant that women were not treated as less than in sports or in education. -
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke
The case began with Allan Bakke who filed a lawsuit seeking admission ot medical school. In this case the court ruled the unversity admitting students on basis of race was a violation of the 14th amendment equal protection clause and the civil rights act. It also decided that racial quotas was unconstitutional but due to affirmative action there some exceptional circumstances. -
Bowers v. Hardwick
This supreme court case began when Micheal Hardwick was arrested for public drinking. The case eventually led to him appealing and during this process police found him in violation of Georgia's sodomy laws. The court decided in a 5-4 ruling that the constiution does not protect the rights of gay adults. -
Americans with Disabilities Act
This act was passed to make sure tha people with disabilities have equal rights and opportunities. The Americans with disabilites acts created builing accessibility, parking spaces, created employment opportunities and in general awareness on the iissue. -
Voter ID Laws
Supporters of this laws argue that the presentation of IDs iduring IN-Person voting would make the process safer and increase people's confidence. However others argue that there's little to no fraud in regards to voting and that voter ID laws would only hinder people from being able to vote. It also creates more adminstrative burdens. -
Shelby County v. Holder
In a 5-4 majority decision the supreme court ruled that section 4 of the voting rights act was unconstitutional as its formula was based on an outdated system of determining which jurisdiction were covered under section 5. This case allowed states to enact voting laws without federal oversight. -
Obergefell v. Hodges
Obergefell v. Hodges was a supreme court case that overturned the ruling of Hardwick v Bowers. In a 5-4 majority the supreme court decided that it is a fundamental right that same-sex couples are allowed to marry. The court argued using both the due process clause and the equal protection clause.