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Dred Scott v Sandford
Supreme court case held that slaves were not allowed to be citizens and former slaves were not protected by the constitution. This desicion divided public opinion making civil war more likely. -
13th Amendment
Constitutional amendment ratified shortly after the civil war that made slavery and involuntary servitude illegal. -
14th Amendment
amendment to the constitution that guaranteed african americans equal protection of the law and grants them citizenship. -
15th Amendment
Amendment to the Constitution that forbids racial discrimination in voting. This leads people in the right direction but many states find ways to preven african americans from voting in primary elections. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
A supreme court case that upheld the constitutionality of the "separate but equal" concept for segregated facilities. However, it was clear that the facilities were not equal by any extent. This ruling fueled the fight for African Americans. Unfortunately, not much was gained until more than half a century later. -
19th Amendment
This amendment guarantees the right for women to vote. The equal rights amendment is soon after proposed, but never does gain enough footing to aquire the necessary amount of votes from the state legislatures. -
White Primaries
This permitted political parties in the south to exclude african americans form voting in primary elections. This deprived them of a say in important contests. The supreme court declared white primaries unconstitutional in 1944. -
Brown v. Board of Education
Supreme Court ruling that decided that school seregation was unconstitutional based upon the fourteenth amendment's guarantee for equal protection. This case ended legal segregation in the United States. This paved the way for the Civil RIghts movement of the 50's and 60's. -
24th Amendment
Amendment to the consitution that prohibited poll taxes in federal elections. This gave poor people an equal opportunity of voting. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
This act made racial discrimination illegal in public facilities. Also forbaid discrimination in employment on the subject of race, color, nation origin, religion, or gender. With this act brought creation of the equal employment oppurtunity commision which enforced this law. -
Poll Taxes
Poll taxes were taxes that cost voters. This affected poor african americans share croppers who had very little cash. This discriminatory votin gproceedure was most popular in the South. Fortunately this was banned by the 24th amendment in 1964 -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
This act prohibited any government from using discriminatory voting procedures that denied a person a vote on the subject of race, or color and made literacy requirements illegal for people who completed the 6th grade. -
Reed v. Reed
This was the first Supreme Court case that upheld a claim of gender discrimination. This fueled the fight for women's rights. However, just a year later the ERA failed to gain ratification. -
Equal Rights Amendment
Originally written by Alice Paul, the amendment stated, "Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex." It was originally introduced to Congress in 1923 and passed in 1972. However, it didn't get the required 3/4 vote from state legislatures. This was a relfection of "too many" changes happening in the country at once. -
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke
This Supreme Court case resulted in a ruling that a state university could not admit less qualified individuals solely based upon their race. In this case, the discrimination was toward a white male. However, it could benefit a person of any race in the future. -
Bowers v. Hardwick
This Supreme Court case upheld the constitutionality of a Georgia law that criminalized the act of homosexuality. The case was later overturned in 2003. -
Americans with Disabilities Act
This act requires that employers and public facilities provide necessary accomodations for disabled individuals. This protects disabled citizens from discrimination in employment and gives them a more "equal" opportunity at a normal life. -
Lawrence v. Texas
This Supreme Court case overturned the Bowers v. Hardwick ruling that criminalizing homosexual activity was legal. The Texas law and 13 other states' anti-gay laws were made unconstitutional. As a result, homosexual acitvity was made legal across the United States. -
Texas v. Fisher
Supreme Court case concerning Affirmative Action policies of the University of Texas. The lower courts ruled in the University's favor and the Supreme Court remanded the case for futher consideration. -
Affirmative Action
This is a policy that directs special compensation or attention to a previously disadvantaged group. This disadvantage can be based upon religion, race, color, etc.
