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Dred Scott v. Sandford
Dred Scott had been a slave in Missouri. He lived in Illinois where slavery was forbidden from 1833 to 1843. While in Missouri, Scott sued a Missouri court for his freedom, sine he had been living in a free territory. The court rejected Scott's appeal, saying that the constitution did not grant African Americans citizenship. -
13th Amendment
The 13th amendment was passed in 1865, two years after Lincoln had issued the Emancipation Proclamation. The amendment was passed while the southern states had still not returned to the union, which made it relatively easy to pass in congress. The 13th amendment makes slavery and involuntary servitude illegal, unless it is being used as a punishment for crime. -
14th Amendment
Th 14th amendment gave citizenship and quality to all people in the United States. Everyone in the United States is to receive equal protection under the law. States who did not allow certain group to not vote would not be able to be punished. -
15th Amendment
The 15th amendment was passed during the period of Reconstruction and stated that states cannot prevent citizens from voting based on their race or previous condition of servitude. Ultimately, several southern sates found ways around the 15th amendment through imposing poll taxes, literacy tests, grandfather clauses, and more. -
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Jim Crow Era
Jim Crow laws were passed all around the United States, especially in the south from 1877 to the mid 1960s. These laws legalized racism and segregation, formally states that whites are the superior race. Jim Crow laws existed in nearly all sectors of daily life. -
Plessy v Ferguson
In the stat of Louisiana, train cars were segregated. Homer Plessy was arrested for sitting in a whites only train car. The case was taken to the supreme court, who ruled that segregation was legal as long as facilities were "separate but equal". -
19th Amendment
The 19th amendment gave American women the right to vote in all states. Prior to 1919, some states, like Wyoming, had passed laws allowing women to vote. The 19th amendment ensured full voting rights to all women in all states. -
Brown v Board of Education
Schools had been segregated, which African Americans believed to be a violation of their 14th amendment. The Supreme Court ruled that because African American students were feeling inferior, segregation was morally wrong and must be ended. This case overturned Plessy v Ferguson. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
During Lyndon B Johnson's administration, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This law banned discrimination of any sort on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or nationality. This banned discriminatory practices in several schools, workplaces, and federally funded programs. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
The Voting Rights Act was passed during Lyndon Johnson's administration. The Act served as an extension of the 15th amendment and sought to enforce voting equality much more seriously. The Act banned practices such as poll taxes and literacy tests. -
Affirmative Action
Affirmative actions are laws that seek to prevent racial discrimination. They can often be seen in hiring indistries and colleges. -
Reed v Reed
An Idaho law stated that "males must be preferred to females" when it came to naming estate administrators. Sally sued her brother Cecil to challenge the Probate Code. The Court ruled that the Probate Code violated the 14th amendment. -
Equal Rights Amendment
While women had the right to vote in 1919, they still did not have the same rights as men. The ERA sought to give women the same rights as men when it came to issues such as filing for divorce, employment, owning property, and more. The ERA was passed under the Jimmy Carter Administration. -
Regents of the University of California v Bakke
Bakke was a white man who was denied admission into the University of California medical school. There were sixteen spots reserved for minority students, who were all less qualified than Bakke. The Court had difficulty making a decision in the case. -
Bowers v Hardwick
Hardwick was charged after engaging in a homosexual relationship. The court ruled that states could ban homosexual sodomy and Hardwick was charged with the crime. -
Americans with Disabilities Act
The ADA became a law in 1990.The ADA prevents any sort of discrimination against citizens with disabilities. The ADA promotes accessibility through public accomodations such as ramps. -
Motor Voter Act
The National Voter Registration Act (NVRA or "Motor Voter") allowed for easier voting registration. The act allowed for citizens to register to vote at state motor vehicle agencies, like the DMV. -
Lawrence v Texas
Houston saw Lawrence and Garner engaging in homosexual intercourse. They were arrested for their crime under Texas law. The court was split on their decision. -
Obgerfell v Hodges
Groups of same-sex couples sued their states for laws that banned homosexual realtionships. They believed their 14th amendment rights were being violated. The court sided with the same-sex couples and legalized same-sex marriage.