-
Dred Scott v. Sanford
Dred Scott was an enslaved man who claimed he was free as he lived in a free territory after the Missouri Compromise. The court decided in a 7-2 decision that enslaved people or people who had enslaved ancestors couldn't be US citizens, and couldn't sue in federal court. -
13th Amendment
The 13th Amendment stated that slavery or involuntary servitude cannot exist in the United States, unless it's as a punishment for which someone has been lawfully convicted. -
14th Amendment
The 14th amendment stated that states are not able to make any laws that take away the rights of any US citizen, and they also cannot take away life, liberty, or property without due process of law. -
15th Amendment
The 15th amendment stated that citizens of the US cannot be denied the right to vote for race, color, or previous condition of servitude, making all the former slaves legally allowed to vote. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
Homer Plessy was a 7/8 white man who was still considered black by Louisiana state law. He argued that the Separate Car Act was a violation of the 13th and 14th amendments. In a 7-1 decision, the court decided that "separate, but equal" was a legal practice. -
19th Amendment
The 19th amendment stated that the right to vote could not be denied because of sex. This amendment gave women the right to vote. -
Brown v. Board of Education
This case argued that separating kids based on race was unconstitutional, which would overrule Plessy v. Ferguson. In a unanimous decision, the court ruled in favor of Brown, making it illegal to have separate schools for races. -
24th Amendment
The 24th Amendment made it illegal to tax voters during federal elections, as it's a civic duty for every American -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 made discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin illegal. This also made it illegal to discriminate based on these attributes when hiring. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 made it illegal to discriminate when approving voting registrations, and made literacy tests illegal. -
Affirmative Action
Affirmative Action is policy set by the government in order to protect and benefit certain minority groups. Some seek to lower the unemployment rates for some minorities, for example. -
Equal Rights Amendment
The Equal Rights Amendment was never passed. It was proposed to make sex discrimination illegal. It would guarantee all Americans equal rights regardless of gender. -
Title IX
Title IX states that schools and other places that receive funding from the federal government cannot discriminate based on sex. This guaranteed protection of education for women. -
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke
In Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, Allan Bakke was rejected admission to the University of California Medical School, even though his qualifications were well above the other minority students that were admitted. He stated that he wasn't admitted solely because of race. In an 8-1 decision, the court decided that the school needed to admit Bakke due to the Civil Rights Act. -
Bowers v. Hardwick
Hardwick was caught having sexual intercourse with another man, which was illegal at the time in Georgia. He was arrested, but went to court, where he argued that the law was unconstitutional. The court agreed, and overturned the law. -
Americans With Disabilities Act
The Americans With Disabilities Act protects against discrimination based on disabilities, in all areas, such as work, transportation, public accommodations, and access to state and local government. -
Voter ID Laws
The Voter ID Laws are active in 36 states. They require voters to show some official ID before being able to vote. This can be an issue for some for example, who don't drive. -
Shelby County v. Holder
Shelby County, Alabama argued that Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act is unconstitutional and they shouldn't have to submit any changes to the federal government. The court agreed, and struck down Section 5. -
Obergefell v. Hodges
Same-Sex couples in Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, and Tennessee argued that bans of same-sex marriage are unconstitutional and violate their 14th Amendment rights. In a 5-4 decision, the court agreed with the couples, and made it same-sex marriage legal.