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Dred Scott v. Sandford
The supreme court said that enslaved people were not citizens of the U.S and they had no protection from the government or the courts. Also it lead to the decision that congress had no right to ban slavery on federal property. this decision was soon over turned by the 13 and 14th amendments. -
13th Amendment
This amendment abolished slavery and involuntary servitude. So basically it made it that nobody could be a slave and nobody could be forced to be servants. -
14th Amendment
This amendment said That every one that was born in the U.S is a citizen. And are entitled to all the rights stated in the constitution. This constitution extend the rights in the constitution to the enslaved people which ultimately undermined the decision made in the Dred scott vs. Sandford case. -
15th Amendment
Prohibits states from denying people the right to vote base on race, gender, color, or if they were slaves or not. This amendment was passed in order too protect black people or any race other than whites from Jim crow laws. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
The Supreme Court upheld the Louisiana law, establishing the "separate but equal" doctrine as constitutional. This decision effectively legalized racial segregation in public facilities, which persisted for decades until it was overturned by the Supreme Court in the 1954 case "Brown v. Board of Education." -
Nineteenth Amendment
This right, known as women’s suffrage, ended almost a century of protest. Prior to this amendment, women were largely excluded from voting, and their voices were suppressed. The Nineteenth Amendment ensured that women’s right to vote could not be denied based on gender, and it remains a crucial milestone in the ongoing pursuit of equality and democratic participation -
Brown v. Board of Education
The Court held that segregation inherently violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. This decision marked a significant victory for the civil rights movement and played a crucial role in the desegregation of public schools across the United States. -
24th Amendment
After the American Civil War, the Fifteenth Amendment granted voting rights to former slaves. However, Southern states used poll taxes to limit political participation. The amendment prohibits both Congress and the states from conditioning the right to vote in federal elections on payment of a poll tax or other types of tax. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Considered one of the crowning achievements of the civil rights movement, it was proposed by President John F. Kennedy and signed into law by Lyndon B. Johnson. The act paved the way for subsequent civil rights legislation, including the Voting Rights Act of 1965. the Civil Rights Act of 1964 dismantled discriminatory barriers and advanced equality for all Americans. -
Affirmative Action
Affirmative action refers to policies and programs designed to address past and present discrimination by providing preferential treatment to individuals from groups that have historically been disadvantaged or underrepresented. These policies may involve outreach and recruitment efforts, as well as the consideration of race, gender, ethnicity, or other factors in hiring, admissions, and contracting decisions. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
The Voting Rights Act is considered one of the most far-reaching pieces of civil rights legislation in U.S. history. It responded to the mistreatment and violence faced by voting rights activists during the civil rights movement. The act expanded voting access and promoted equality for all citizens. -
Equal Rights Amendment
the ERA aims to ensure equal rights for all, regardless of gender. The ERA seeks to end legal distinctions between men and women in matters such as divorce, property, employment, and other rights. -
Title IX
Title IX is a federal civil rights law passed in 1972 as part of the Education Amendments. Its main objective is to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex in educational programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance. One of its most significant impacts has been in the realm of athletics, where it has led to increased opportunities for women and girls to participate in sports at educational institutions. -
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke
Allan Bakke sued the University of California Medical School after being denied admission, alleging that the school's affirmative action program discriminated against him based on race. The Supreme Court ruled that while affirmative action programs could be used in admissions decisions to achieve diversity, the use of racial quotas was unconstitutional. However, race could still be considered as one factor among many in admissions decisions. -
Bowers v. Hardwick
Bowers v. Hardwick was a United States Supreme Court case that upheld the constitutionality of a Georgia sodomy law criminalizing certain intimate sexual conduct between consenting adults, including homosexual acts. The Court ruled that there was no fundamental right to engage in homosexual sodomy and that states could regulate private sexual conduct. -
Americans with Disabilities Act
The ADA prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in everyday activities. It applies to various areas, including employment, state and local government, businesses, transportation, and telecommunications. -
Voter ID Laws
Voter ID laws require voters to present government-issued identification before casting their ballots. These laws vary by state and have been a subject of controversy, with proponents arguing that they are necessary to prevent voter fraud and ensure the integrity of elections, while opponents argue that they disproportionately disenfranchise minority, elderly, and low-income voters who may face barriers to obtaining ID. -
Shelby County v. Holder
the Supreme Court struck down a key provision of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The provision required certain states and localities with a history of racial discrimination in voting to obtain federal approval, before making changes to their voting laws or procedures. The Court held that the coverage formula used to determine which jurisdictions were subject to preclearance was outdated and therefore unconstitutional, effectively nullifying the preclearance requirement. -
Obergefell v. Hodges
Obergefell v. Hodges was a landmark United States Supreme Court case that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. The Court ruled that the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees the fundamental right to marry, regardless of the gender of the parties involved. This decision invalidated laws in several states that banned same-sex marriage, making marriage equality the law of the land.