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Dred Scott v Sandford
The Dred Scott v Sandford case was a case argued in the supreme court that ruled that African Americans, whether free or slaves, are not american citizens therefore they cannot sue in american courts. Additionally the court ruled that congress does not have the power to ban slavery. -
13th Amendment
The 13th amendment, ratified on December 6, 1865, officially abolished slavery. It states that slavery and involuntary servitude is banned unless used as a punishment. Although the amendment made it illegal to have slaves, many people in the south continued to used slave. -
14th Amendment
The 14th amendment, ratified in 1868, states that any persons born or naturalized in US is a citizen of the United States. It said that states may not make laws that deprive citizens of life, liberty, or the pursuit of happiness. -
15th Amendment
The 15th amendment, ratified on February 3rd, 1870, states that a citizens right to vote may not be deprived on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude. This amendment was created to protect African Americans right to vote in southern states. It was passed during the reconstruction era. -
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White Primaries
The White Primaries were a time in US history when only white people were allowed to vote in primary elections. It has since been overturned in all states white primaries took place in by the supreme court decision of Allwright v Texas. -
Plessy v Ferguson
Plessy v Ferguson was a landmark supreme court case that upheld the racial segregation as long as the segregated facilities were equal. This decision was overturned 58 years later in the 1954 case Brown v Board of Education -
Nineteenth Amendment
The 19th Amendment, ratified on August 18,1930, stated that the right to vote can not be denied based on sex. This amendment officially recognized women right to vote. -
Brown v Board of Education
Brown v Board of Education was a landmark case in the Supreme Court that officially ended racial segregation in school. This case also overturned the decision regarding racial segregation in Plessy v Ferguson. -
Affirmative Action
On March 6, 1961, President Kennedy declared that all government employers may not discriminate against applicants based on color, race, or sex and also told them to take affirmative action to diversify people in the government. -
24th Amendment
The 24th amendment,ratified on January 24th, 1964, stated that the right to vote may not be conditional on the basis of payment or tax. It was made to provide easier access to voting to lower income areas specifically in rural areas. -
Poll Taxes
Poll Taxes were put in place as a form of income for the government that was a set amount everyone had to pay to vote regardless of the individuals income. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is a landmark civil rights and labor law in the US that prohibits the act of discriminating based on color, race, sex, ethnicity, and religion. Although this act was passed, discrimination still exists very much in the media today. -
Voting Rights of Act of 1965
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 that is very simular to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 however the Voting Rights Act applies to voting. A persons right to vote connot be taken away based on color, race, ethnicity, and sex. -
Reed v Reed
Another landmark case in the Supreme Court, Reed v Reed's decision stated that the administrators of estates cannot name them in a way that is sexist. -
Equal Rights Amendment
The Equal Rights Amendment states that citizens are guaranteed rights regardless of sex. It ended the legal distinctions for women in cases of divorce, property, and employment. -
Regents of the University of California v Bakke
Regents of the University of California v Bukke was a landmark case in the supreme court that ruled schools using racial quotas in its administration process was unconstitutional however using affirmative action to have more minority students is constitutional. -
Bowers v Hardwick
Bowers v Hardwick was a landmark case that ruled homosexual consensual sodomy is illegal even in the individuals home. The decsion went back and fourth as it traveled up to the supreme court however the supreme court said there is no constitutional protection therefore states can have laws that ban it. -
Americans WIth Disabilities Act
The Americans With Disabilities Act was made to prohibit discrimination against any individual based on disability. This is included in many areas such as employment, transportation, public accommodations, and access to state and local government programs. -
Lawrence v Texas
Lawrence v Texas was another landmark case in the Supreme Court that overturned the decision of Bowers v Hardwick. The new decision states that any law banning private homosexual sodomy is unconstitutional. -
Obergefell v Hodges
Obergefell v Hodges is a very important landmark case in the Supreme Court that ruled the right to marry is guarenteed to same-sex couples by both the Due Process Clause as well as the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th amendment.
