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• Dred Scott v. Sandford
Dred Scott v. Sandford ruled on the question to wither slaves were American citizens. In a 7-2 decision the court ruled in favor of Sanford that they were not citizens. This ruling came from supreme court judge tanney writing that parts of the Missouri compromise were unconstitutional due to the 5th amendment. This made it so congress could not free slave from federal territory and so they had no standing to sue in federal court. -
• 13th Amendment
The 13th amendment abolished both slavery The 13th amendment abolished both slavery and indentured servitude. This Amendment came after Lincoln's emancipation proclamation. At first this amendment did not pass through the house but with Lincolns influence it eventually did. -
• 14th Amendment
The fourteenth amendment gave citizenship to all individuals born within the boarders of the united state no matter how their parents came here illegally or not. This amendment also says that the government may not take anyway any rights without due process of law. Now days this amendment is applied often times with illegal immigrants and their kids who are born in the USA and are citzens. -
• 15th Amendment
The 15th Amendment prohibits states and the federal government from prevents an individual from voting on the account of "race, color, or previous condition of servitude". This amendment was not very successful when it was first ratified as states would use Jim Crow laws such as literacy tests and grandfather clauses to disproportionately disallow black Americans to vote. -
• Plessy v. Ferguson
Plessy v. Ferguson was a case of Homer Plessy challenging segregation by saying it violated the 14th amendment. He sat on a white only railway car and was arrested for doing so. The supreme court ruled 7-1 in favor of Ferguson and said that as long as they were getting equal treatment keeping whites and blacks apart was not unconstitutional -
• Nineteenth Amendment
The nineteenth amendment was a important amendment regarding women rights. As this amendment stopped discrimination based on sex. However this did not apply to all women just white women as other groups such as African Americans did not get their constitutional rights for another 40 years. -
• Equal Rights Amendment
The equal rights amendment was a proposed amendment in 1928 that guarantee equal legal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex. People opposed it arguing it would stop legal protection that women needed. Now days opponents argue it is no longer needed and some fear it would be extended to abortion and transgender rights. -
• Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education ruled on the matter of segregation of public education based solely on race violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. In a 9-0 the court ruled it was unconstitutional as they were not getting the same facility and separating by race instilled a sense of inferiority. -
• Affirmative Action
Affirmative Action is a set of procedures designed to eliminate unlawful discrimination when applying to university. Affirmative action seeks to benefit previously marginalized groups by giving them help when applying to universities. -
• 24th Amendment
The 24th Amendment was the Abolition of poll taxes. Neither the federal goverment nor state government can require an individual to pay taxes at the poll in order to vote for any poll or primary. This was passed as minority groups were being disproportionately targeted as many could not pay poll taxes disallowing them to vote, -
• Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a landmark case that outlawed discrimination based on race, color religion or sex. This act signaled the end of all Jim crow laws across the united states, giving minority equal opportunity to things such as jobs and federal funding. Now days this Act applies in jobs such as the hiring promoting and firing of employees as it can not be based on race or any above listed factor. -
• Voting Rights Act of 1965
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 prohibited voting practices aimed at dis-proportionally prohibited minority groups from voting in general elections. Such as literacy tests as a prerequisite to voting. Now days this act comes into effect when discussing voter id laws and if they dis-proportionally stoped minority from voting. -
• Title IX
Title IX is from the Education Amendments of 1972. It states that in order for schools to get federal funding they must have equal opportunity for men and women in education programs. This applies frequently with collegiate sports teams as the schools must have the same number of mens and womens athletic teams. -
• Regents of the University of California v. Bakke
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke ruled on if setting aside a quota for minority's in collage admissions. As Bakke has scores that exceeded any minority student and argued that rejecting him based on race violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In a 8-1 decision the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Bakke. The justices stated that any racial quota system violated the the civil rights act. This still applies today as collages may not reject applicant based on race. -
• Bowers v. Hardwick
Bowers v. Hardwick is a supreme court case regarding if Georgia statute that criminalized sodomy is constitutional. This came after Hardwick was arrested for committing sodomy in his own home. The court ruled in a 5-4 against Hardwick claiming the right to commit sodomy was not apparent in the constitution. This ruling does not apply today as it was overruled in Lawrence v. Texas, 539 U.S. 558 (2003). -
• Americans with Disabilities Act
The Americans with Disabilities Act prevents discrimination of people with disabilities in areas of employment, transportation public accommodations, communications and access to state and local government programs and services. This act is still important today to not discriminate to people with disabilities. -
• Shelby County v Holder
In Shelby County v. Holder the supreme court had to determine if the renewal of Section 5 of the Voter Rights Act under the constraints of Section 4(b) exceed Congress' authority under the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments, and therefore violate the Tenth Amendment and Article Four of the Constitution? This ruling still applies today as they still cant abridge on the right. -
• Obergefell v. Hodges
Groups of same sex couples (Obergefell) sued state agencies challenging the constitutionality of bans on same sex marriage. They said that Fourteenth Amendment required a state to license a marriage between two people of the same sex. The supreme court ruled in a 5-4 decision for Obergefell that the fourteenth amendment does require a state to allow same sex marriage. Their ruling stating he right to marry is a fundamental liberty because it is inherent to the concept of individual autonomy. -
• Voter ID Laws
Voter ID Laws vary from state to state. Thirty-six states have laws requesting or requiring voters to show some form of identification at the polls. The remaining 14 states and Washington, D.C., use other methods to verify the identity of voters. Laws regarding voter ID's are constantly changing and are controversial.