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Dred Scott v. Sandford
Dred Scott was a run away slave who was then told that he had no freedoms even though he was in free states. This is important because it gave power to the states in order to allow slavery or not. -
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Civil Rights
The beginning of the Civil Rights fight for minority groups in America started years before the Civil Rights Movement. -
13th Amendment
This amendment freed the slaves. This is important because slavery had always been part of America’s history. This is a new America. It will take a while to transform, but it will happen eventually. -
14th Amendment
The 14th amendment required the states to incorporate the Bill of Rights. This is important because the Bill of Rights only applied to Congress beforehand. -
15th Amendment
The 15th amendment opened up voting rights for African Americans. This opened the door for a more fair and democratic nation. This will take time to do it, but this is an amazing step. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
This issued that public facilities need to be seperate but equal. This is still a bit outrageous, but is important because it is a step in the right direction, especially for the southern states. They will have to make things equal and accessible to people of all races. -
Nineteenth Amendment
This passes woman’s suffrage. This is important because woman have always been overshadowed by the men. This allows women to be somewhat equal in this aspect. -
Brown v. Board of Education
This officially desegregated schools. A few students were going to high school and they were met with protestors. This is important because public schools had to officially admit and allow students of other races into their schools. -
Affirmative Action
An action or policy that favors those who suffer from discrimination. This is important because this allows these people who are discriminated against to work or receive an education. -
24th Amendment
This got rid of tax polls and allows people to vote. For years before this, the south pushed poll taxes on African Americans, making it hard for them to vote. This opened the doors for more voters and a more well-rounded voice for the people. -
Civil Rights Act 1964
This outlawed discrimination based race, religion, gender. Even though discrimination is still around, this outlawed it. This allowed the government to punish discrimination. This was a giant leap forward toward the equality of races. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
This piece of legislation prohibits discrimination against race in voting. This is important because African Americans had the right to vote, but due to poll tax and discrimination, it was as if they did not have the right to vote in the first place. -
Poll Tax
Poll tax required people to pay in order to vote. This affected the turn out and did not allow people to have a voice. -
Reed v. Reed
In Idaho, males were preferred to women. This was a battle between a man and a woman to see who get their son’s estate. This is important because it was ruled unconstitutional to give a preference of someone over something due to sex. -
Equal Rights Amendment
Civil rights may not be denied on the basis of one’s sex. This is important because it will allow law enforcement to punish people who discriminate based on one’s sex. -
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke
Race is allowed to be a factor in a college decision. However, schools cannot have a specific quota for it. This is important because it mitigates the opportunity for admission to college based on if an applicant is a minority or not. -
Bowers v. Hardwick
Homosexuals in Georgia were not allowed to be in sexual relations with each other even if it was in private. This is important because then it provokes the question of privacy in the Constitution where it does not directly state anything about privacy. -
Americans With Disabilities Act
This required businesses to make their business appealing and accessible to men and women with disabilities. This is important because it allows people with disability to work at places as if they did not. It is a sense of equality and equity in a sense. -
Lawrence v. Texas
This legalized homosexual acts are now permitted. This is important because it is a set in stone act of privacy for homosexuals and other individuals. This overturned the case that caused controversy about privacy, Brown v. Hardwick.
