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Dred Scott v Sandford
Dred Scott an enslaved black man filed a suit against his owner as he was brought from the slave holding state of Missouri to the free state of Illinois and Wisconsin territory. Scott sued for his freedom making it to the supreme court. The court ruled that the constitution did not apply to African Americans regardless of being freed or enslaved meaning they do possess the right granted in the constitution. Significant as gave no black free or enslaved the rights granted in the constitution. -
13th Amendment
Ratified in December 6, 1865 the 13th Amendment forbids slavery and involuntary servitude, unless as punishment for a crime. The 13th amendment is the first of the reconstruction amendments passed after the end of the civil war. Significant as it ended slavery in the whole union. -
14th Amendment
As a result of the Dred Scott decision the 14th amendment was passed as the 2nd reconstruction amendments. The amendment grants equal civil rights to former enslaved and freed African Americans. Giving anyone born in the US citizenship or born to American parents meaning they are giving all the rights of every other citizen. Amendment was not easy to be ratified as many southern states contested it but in order to regain representation in congress all of these states had to ratify it. -
15th amendment
The 15th amendment granted every male the right to vote regardless of race. This is the last amendment of reconstruction. Due to more representation of democrats as southern states got accepted back in the Union many republicans worried about being overtaken. Republicans hoped by granting former slaves the right to vote they would be able to receive their vote and gain more votes for congress. Significant as it gave a large amount people the right to vote. -
Poll taxes
A fixed sum on every individual with taking into consideration income or resources that is often linked with the right to vote. The tax was associated with preventing poor people voting in southern states but many northern states had poll taxes. Significant as a large group of people where unable to vote due to socioeconomic status. -
White Primaries
Primaries election are election to determine who will be appointed by the party to run in the election. Primary election are extremely important in areas that are lock for one party or the other. White primaries were done to prevent minorities from participation in who would run for office meaning a critical part of the US election was off limits to a certain group of citizens. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
Louisiana created a Separate Car Act, which had segregated railway cars. Plessy sat on the "whites only" care to challenge the act even though he was less then half black. The railroad companies agreed to this as they did not like having to double their railroad cars. Plessy argued that it violated his 14th amendment. The supreme court decided that if the train cars were considered equal it is not discrimination as it did not imply inferiority. -
19th Amendment
After a decade long movement of women's suffrage movement the 19th amendment was ratified prohibiting the denying of the right to vote of the bases of sex -
Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education was a landmark case that was a consolation of cases where minorities had been rejected from white public school. This case was significant has it overturned Plessy v. Ferguson as the the courts ruled separate but equal was inherited unequal. Courts ruled that separation but equal of the school system instilled a sense of inferiority. -
Affirmative Action
Positive racism is when a group of people who had been discriminated against has things done to promote them in the world. Affirmative action started when Lyndon B Johnson signed the Civil Rights act of 1964. The significant of Affirmative Action is that it promoted many minorities into higher level positions. Allowed minorities to become doctors. Affirmative Action has often been ruled unconstitutional by the court has the constitution is color blind. -
24th Amendment
the 24th Amendment was a response to poll-tax where citizens in the south had to pay a pull tax in order to vote making voting for people who had a certain amount of money often affecting African- Americans more then white voters. The Amendment made sure the right to vote in federal elections was not abridged due to any tax. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
With resistance to desegregation at an all time high, President John Kennedy using his chief legislator power put in motion for congress to pass a massive new civil rights bill. After the assassination , President Johnson put the pressure on congress to secure the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. the Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, religion, sex or national origin. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
The act was passed in hope of enforcing the 15th Amendment. For years poll taxes, literacy test, and other obstacles had been put in place to restrict the right of minority groups to vote. With numerous political figures and protest occurring in 1964 gaining national attention President Johnson pushed congress to pass national voting rights bill. -
Reed v. Reed
Idaho had a code that males must be preferred to females when appointing administrators of estates. The Supreme court unanimously agreed that the code was unconstitutional as it went against the equal protection clause in the 14th amendment. -
Equal Rights Amendment
Passed by the senate senate on March 22, 1972 the ERA was never ratified by the states an effectively died , Since the ERA failed to pass gender equality is not guaranteed under the constitution however many states and districts have passed legislator to protect those rights. The ERA reads, "Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the US or any state on the account of sex." -
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke
Bakke a white man had applied to UC Davis Medical School and been rejected twice. The program had an affirmative action program that allowed for lower qualified minority students to be accepted on the bases of inclusion. The courts ruled this unconstitutional as any program receiving government assistance can not discriminate even if it is considered positive racism. -
Bowers v Hardwick
After being charged after being caught having consensual homosexual sodomy with an adult, Hardwick was charged under Georgia statute that criminalized homosexual sodomy. The court ruled that there was no constitutional protection for sodomy. This case is significant as it restricted the rights of homosexuals for years. -
Americans with Disabilities Act
The Americans with Disabilities Act(ADA) was a piece of legislature aimed at achieving what the civil rights act of 1964 had achieved. By the prevention of discrimination on the bases of disabilities. Both mental and physical disabilities are given. Bill was signed into law by George H. W. Bush and has since been updated. -
Motor Voter Act
The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 otherwise know as the Motor Voter Act was a law the required states to simplify voter registration processes for people who get or renews or applies for public assistance. and requiring the US Postal Service to mail election material. The law requires state to only remove voters if certain criteria is met. The law is significant because it made voting easier granting more people the right to vote and made sure states were only removing certain people. -
Lawrence v Texas
Police walked in on John Lawrence having consensual homosexual sex which was banned under a Texas statute. The court was questioning whether the 14th amendment protected this as there was no laws against straight couples. the court ruled that the statute did was unconstitutional. This was significant as it overturned the Bowers v. Hardwick and lead to more rights of homosexual people. -
Obergefell v. Hodges
Collection of Cases where couples who had married in other states had not been recognized in the states they now reside. The court ruled that this was unconstitutional as the 14th amendment guarantees the right to marry. The significance of this is that gay marriage is now legalized everywhere and every state must recognize it.
