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Dred Scott v. Sandford
Dred Scott was a slave in Missouri. From 1833 to 1843, he resided in Illinois (free) and in the Louisiana Territory, where slavery was forbidden by the Missouri compromise of 1820. After returning to Missouri, Scott filed a suit claiming that his residence in free territory made him a free man. The court ruled that a negro could not be an American citizen and, therefore, could not sue in federal court. They dismissed the case on lack of jurisdiction. -
Poll Taxes
Were taxes levied as a fixed sum on every liable individual (typically adults), without reference to income or resources. This tax was linked with the right to vote, meaning that you could not vote without paying. -
13th Amendment
Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction. -
14th Amendment
Granted citizenship and equal civil and legal rights to African Americans and enslaved people who had been emancipated after the American Civil War. -
15th Amendment
Granted African American men the right to vote -
Plessy v. Ferguson
Homer Plessy sat in a "whites only" railroad car and was told to vacate the car. He refused and was arrested. Plessy argued that the Separate Car Act violated the 13th and 14th Amendments. The court ruled that equal, but separate accommodations for whites and blacks imposed by Louisiana do not violate the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. -
White Primaries
Primary elections held in the Southern United States in which only white voters were permitted to participate. -
19th Amendment
Provided women with the right to vote. "The right of the citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex" -
Brown v. Board of Education
A consolidation of cases arising due to the denial of African American students to attend public school due to their race. They argued that the segregation of schools violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. The court overturned Plessy v. Ferguson and ruled that separate, but equal facilities were inherently unequal. -
24th Amendment
The 24th Amendment prohibited any poll tax in elections for federal officials. -
Civil Right Act of 1964
Prohibited discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. -
Affirmative Action
Policy aimed at increasing workplace or educational opportunities for underrepresented parts of society. These programs commonly take race, sex, religion, and nationality into account. First embraced by President Johnson. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Outlawed the discriminatory voting practices that were adopted by many southern states after the Civil War, including literacy tests as a prerequisite to voting. -
Reed v. Reed
Idaho Probate Code specified that "males must be preferred to females" in appointing administrators of estates. Both Sally and Cecil Reed sought their son's estate after his death and Cecil was preferred. Court ruled that the Idaho Probate Code violated the 14th Amendment. -
Equal Rights Amendment
Was a proposed amendment designed to guarantee equal legal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex. Proponents asserted that it would end legal distinctions between men and women on a variety of matters including employment and property. Is now in effect as the 28th Amendment to us Constitution. -
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke
Bakke was rejected from UC Davis Medical School twice. The school reserved 16/100 spots for qualified minorities as a part of affirmative action. Bakke's qualifications exceeded the minorities chosen over him and he argued he was rejected solely due to race. Court ruled that Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 provided Bakke a cause of action. They also stated race could be used as one of many qualifications which provided good strides for affirmative action. -
Bowers v. Hardwick
Hardwick was observed by a Georgia police officer having consensual gay sex. He was charged by a statute that criminalized sodomy. He argued the statute denied him his fundamental right to consensual sexual relations. The court found that there was no Constitutional protection for sodomy and states could choose to outlaw the practice if they wished. -
Americans with Disabilities Act
Prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in several areas, including employment, transportation, public accommodations, communications, and access to state and local government programs and services. -
Motor Voter Act
Made regulations for states that included voter registration forms sent in the mail, to help all people who are able to register have the chance to vote. Wanted to decline the decline of voter participation. -
Lawrence v. Texas
Houston police entered Lawrence's apartment and witnessed him and Tyron Garner having gay sex. They were arrested and convicted of violating Texas statute forbidding that prevented certain intimate sexual relations of same sex couples. Court ruled the statute violated the Due Process Clause which gave them the right to engage in their conduct without government intervention. -
Obergefell v. Hodges
Groups of same-sex couples sued their states to challenge the constitutionality of those states' bans on same-sex marriage or refusal to recognize legal same-sex marriages that occurred in jurisdictions that provided for such marriages. Argued the states violated the Equal Protection Clause and Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment. The court ruled that the 14th Amendment requires both marriage licensing and recognition for same-sex couples.
