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Dred Scott v. Sandford
Any Americans of African descent had no right to sue in federal court. Congress was not allowed to ban slavery in the states or territories and slaves were declared property so the right to own slaves was protected by the 5th amendment. -
13th Amendment
This outlawed the right to own slaves. People could choose to be a servant, but couldn't be forced. -
14th amendment
Anyone born or naturalized in the United States earned citizenship and all slaves were released. Equal protection of the laws was granted. -
15th Amendment
This amendment granted all men the right to vote, regardless of race. However, the true impact wouldn't be in effect until the Voting Rights Act which got rid of Poll Taxes. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
On a Louisiana train, a person named Homer Plessy was jailed for sitting in a "whites only" car. Supreme Court ruled segregation was legal if segregated things were "separate but equal." -
White Primaries
These were the primary elections in the US southern states. White voters were allowed to participate. This was established by the Democratic parties and southern states and contributed to the disenfranchisement of African Americans. -
Nineteenth Amendment
Prohibited denying any American citizen the right to vote based on their sex. So, this gave women the right to vote. -
Brown v. Board of Education
Desegregated schools because Supreme Court ruled that the racial segregation of children in public schools was unconstitutional. This violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth amendment. -
24th amendment
This officially prohibited any poll taxes in elections for federal officials. The poll taxes were exemplifying "Jim Crow" laws in the southern states and made it do that the number of votes from African Americans was disproportional to the actual population of African Americans in those areas. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
It states discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, required equal access to public places and employment, enforced desegregation of schools and the right to vote was outlawed. -
Poll Taxes
This was introduced in the 19th century. It required African Americans to pay a poll tax whenever they went to vote. This was a part of the Jim Crow laws and aided in the effort to disenfranchise African Americans. Ended when the 24th amendment. -
Affirmative Action
Affirmative action refers to the policy of favoring individuals who have previously been discriminated against. President JFK signed an order against discrimination in the workplace. President Lyndon B. Johnson issued Executive Order 11246 which required all government contractors and subcontractors to expand job opportunities for minorities. In order to carry out this, the office of federal contract compliance in the Department of Labor was made. -
Voting RIghts Act of 1965
This act was in part a response to the Jim Crow Laws and other restrictions on minorities' voting. Signed by President Lyndon Johnson and it also outlawed literacy tests. -
Reed v. Reed
Sally Reed and Cecil Reed (divorced couple) argued about who got their deceased son's estate. The Idaho Law says that "Males must be preferred to females" and the SUpreme Court rules against this because they said it violated the 14 th amendment. -
Equal Rights Amendment
This guaranteed equal legal rights for all citizens regardless of sex. The amendment never gained enough states to ratify it. -
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke
Ruled that a University's racial quotas in its admissions process were unconstitutional but a school's use of affirmative action to accept more minority cases was constitutional in some cases. -
Bowers v. Hardwick
Two men were found in the privacy of their home having consensual sex and then they were arrested. The Supreme court rules against the two men deciding that sodomy between gays was not protected by the constitution. -
Americans with Disabilities Act
Various civil rights laws prohibit discrimination against people with disabilities in all areas of life ("jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public.") Similar protections to the civil rights law of 1964. -
Motor Voter Act
This made regulations that required states to accept votes. by mail. This is to help all people who are able to register to have the chance to vote. This was also made to help lessen the voter decline. -
Lawrence v. Texas
This invalidated same-sex sodomy laws. This made same-sex sexual activity legal in every US state and territory. -
Obergefell v. Hodges
Same-sex marriage is ruled to be protected under the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses of the 14th amendment. Same-sex marriage bans are unconstitutional.