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Abolished slavery
Ended legal ownership of human beings
Transformed national social structure -
Guaranteed equal protection under law
Granted citizenship to former slaves
Prohibited states from denying fundamental rights -
Prohibited racial discrimination in voting
Allowed Black men to vote
Critical step in political representation -
Legalized "separate but equal" doctrine
Institutionalized racial discrimination
Devastating setback for civil rights -
Granted women's right to vote
Ended legal gender-based voting restrictions
Expanded democratic participation -
Guaranteed full U.S. citizenship to Native Americans
Allowed unrestricted voting rights
Recognized tribal sovereignty -
Overturned Plessy v. Ferguson
Declared school segregation unconstitutional
Landmark civil rights decision -
Prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex
Ended segregation in public spaces
Established Equal Employment Opportunity Commission -
Eliminated discriminatory voting practices
Provided federal oversight of election procedures
Significantly increased minority voter registration -
Protected language minorities' voting rights
Required bilingual election materials
Recognized linguistic barriers to voting -
Enhanced protections for disabled voters
Improved polling place accessibility
Furthered democratic participation