-
FDA Allows Birth Controls Pills to be Sold
The FDA approves the world’s first commercially produced birth control pill. This greatly improved reproductive rights for women across America. -
Civil Rights Act
Signed into law by President Lyndon B Johnson, the Civil Rights Act prohibited discrimination in public places, which served as the basis for integrating schools and outlawing employment discrimination. This vastly improved rights for African Americans. -
Medicare and Medicaid Passed
Under the Social Security Act, President Johnson creates Medicare and Medicaid, which provides medical services to a wide range of Americans that may otherwise not be able to afford those services themselves and provides the elderly with medical services. This sparked better health across the nation, especially among those who would not have been able to pay for healthcare themselves despite their need for healthcare. -
Voting Rights Act
The Voting Rights Act was an additon to the 15th Ammendment. This act was passed by President Lyndon B. Johnson. The purpose of the Voting Rights Act was to eliminate any limitations on African Americans to vote, such as the Jim Crow Laws. -
The Equal Rights Amendment
An amendment to the Constitution which was sixteen states away from becoming law in 1973 but was never enacted into law due to the protest of women in the "Stop ERA" movement that would have made discrimination based on sex illegal. The effects of this would have also negatively affected women in ways such as making them subject to being drafted, depriving divorced women of alimony, changing child custody practices, and making women responsible for half the family's income. -
Supreme Cout Legalizes Abortion
The Supreme Court legalized a woman's right to Abortion in Roe vs. Wade, Roe was a single pregnant woman and wanted to abort her baby, When the state of Texas did not allow her to do so, she filed a class action suit, bringing the case to court. Roe won. -
Reagan Appoints Sandra Day O'Connor to Supreme Court
Sandra Day O'Connor was the first woman to be appointed and serve on the supreme court. She has authored many books and was appointed by President Ronald Reagan. -
Bill Clinton Revamps Healthcare
Clinton had a plan for reforming healthcare, which was currently costing a lot of money. A committee led by his wife had been brainstorming ways to fix it, but could not come up with a way acceptible to medical professionals, the health insurance industry, and general citizens to do it. When they finally did produce a plan, it seemed more costly and complex than the original. It never reached congress. Healthcare expenses continued to increase and in 1990 they were 3,000$ per capital. -
Vermont Recognizes Same Sex Civil Unions
Vermont was the first to recognize same-sex civil unions, which gave gay couples something similar to marriage, although not to the same extent, as they were only given some of the legal rights that come with marriage. -
Leagalization of Same Sex Marriage
On June 26, 2015 Same sex marriage became legal in all fifty states. Although other states had already legalized ss marriage, this was when it made legal in the supreme court. It also consequentially became illegal to refuse to marry a couple based on their sexes.
