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Dred Scott v. Sandford
In the Dred Scott case, the Supreme Court ruled that slaves were property and had no right to bring up a lawsuit and that Congress had no power to prohibit slavery. This case was important because it stated that slaves had no rights, an incentive that started everything with the Civil Rights movement. -
13th Amendment
The 13th amendment declared slavery illegal anywhere in the United States. It's important because it outlawed slavery and awarded freedom to african americans. -
14th Amendment
The 14th amendment declared that every person born on American (U.S) soil was an American citizen and could not be denied rights nor privileges. It's important because it gave all american citizens undeniable rights adn protected some rights of african americans during the Reconstruction period. -
15th Amendment
The 15h Amendment declared that American Citizens could not be denied the right to vote on the basis of color. It was important because it extended suffrage to all men in America. -
White Primaries
White Primaries were elections held in the Southern United States where only white voters had the privilege to vote. This was a way for Southern states to limit African political power. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
The Plessy v. Ferguson case was a Supreme Court ruling that upheld the rights of the states to pass laws allowing racial segregation. It's important because it set back the Civil Rights movements that had been going on for the few previous decades. -
19th Amendment
The 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote. It was important because it expanded suffrage to women. -
Affirmative Action
Affirmative Action refers to a set of laws, policies, and administrative initiatives by the government that are meant to end and correct the effects of discrimination in America. This is important because discrimination is a visible problem in America and programs like this are meant to help. -
24th Amendment
The 24th Amendment prohibited states from requiring payments of a poll tax to vote. This was important because it expanded voting rights to poor and unpriviliged american citizens. -
Poll Taxes
Poll taxes were taxes levied on every adult without reference to income nor resources. They were important because the infrastructure and public services were funded by those poll taxes. -
Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka was a landmark Supreme Court ruling that declared that Separate But Equal policies were unconstitutional. This was important because it overturned Plessy v. Ferguson and was a greater step towards racial inclusion in education. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed segregation n public areas and granted the federal government the power to fight black disenfranchisement. It was important because it gave more rights to African Americans and opened the way for cultures to interact with one another. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was a legislation passed by the Federal Government that prohibits racial discrimination in voting. It was important because it gave African Americans the opportunity to vote and have a better chance at a representative that would work in their interest. -
Reed v. Reed
Reed v. Reed was a Supreme Court case in which the Supreme Court ruled that Idaho's Probate Code of male preference over females as administrators was unconstitutional, and it was prohibited by the Protection Clause of the 14th amendment. It was important because it helped improved gender equality in America, and it was the first time in history that the Court applied the Equal Protection Clause to strike down the law. -
Equal Rights Amendment
The Equal Rights Amendment provided the legal equality of genders and prohibited gender discrimination. It was important because it was a major step towards Women's Rights. -
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke was a Supreme Court decision that ruled that the use of racial quotas was unconstitutional but the use of Affirmative Action programs to accept more minority applicants was constitutional in some circumstances. It was important because it helped pave the way for more minorities to attend colleges, and admitted the use of race as one of several admission criterias. -
Bowers v. Hardwick
Bowers v. Hardwick was a Supreme Court case that ruled that the Constitution did not protect the rights of gay adults to engage in consensual sodomy. It was important because it was part of the anti-gay laws. -
Americans With Disabilities Act
The Americans With Disabilities Act was a Federal Government Legislation that prohibited discrimination towards people with disabilities. It was important because it provided the disabled with more opportunities and the ability to do more for themselves. -
Lawrence v. Texas
Lawrence v. Texas was a Supreme Court case that ruled that anti-sodomy laws were unconstitutional and was a violation of privacy and the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution. It was important because it overruled the previous ruling of Bowers v. Hardwick, and gave homosexuals more freedom to privacy.
