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Dred Scott v. Sandford
Dred Scott v. Sandford was a case involving Dred Scott, a slave from Missouri. He briefly resided in Illinois, a free state, and argued that his freedom remained even when he went back to Missouri, a slave state. The decision of the case was that no slave, even upon being freed, could be a citizen nor sue in court. -
13th Amendment Ratified
The 13th amendment provided that "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction." -
14th Amendment Ratified
The 14th amendment proclaimed that no state can make or enforce a law that hinders the rights of citizens, nor can they deprive any person of life or liberty without due process of law, nor deny equal protection. -
15th Amendment Ratified
The 15th amendment granted African American men the right to vote. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
Plessy v. Ferguson was a Supreme Court case that established that racial segregation laws did not violate the U.S. Constitution as the facilities were equal, creating the idea of "separate but equal". -
19th Amendment Ratified
The 19th amendment established that the right to vote cannot be hindered based on sex, giving women the right to vote. -
Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka was a Supreme Court case that argued that public school segregation was unconstitutional violated the equal protection clause. The Court ruled that it was indeed unconstitutional. -
Affirmative Action
President Kennedy signed an executive order in 1961 to approve affirmative action, referring to practices in organizations that benefits marginalized groups. -
24th Amendment Ratified
The 24th amendment prohibits Congress and the states from imposing taxes on citizens during federal elections. -
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited discrimination based on race, sex, religion, or ethnicity. It also prohibiting hiring and firing from jobs based on those factors. -
Voting Rights Act of 1965
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 prohibited the voting practices in Southern states, such as using literacy tests as a prerequisite to voting for minorities. -
Title IX
Title IX is a federal civil rights law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in schools or academies that are funded by the federal government. -
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke was a Supreme Court case in which Allan Bakke claimed he was rejected from the University of California based solely on the fact that he was not a minority. The Court ruled that any racial quota system violated the civil rights act, therefore ruling in favor of Bakke. -
Bowers v. Hardwick
Bowers v. Hardwick was a Supreme Court case in which Michael Hardwick, a homosexual, was convicted by the state of Georgia for engaging in sodomy. Hardwick claimed the statute criminalizing sodomy was unconstitutional, but the Supreme Court ruled that states could outlaw that practice. -
Americans with Disabilities Act
The Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination based on disability in employment, government, transportation, accommodation, and more. -
Shelby County v. Holder
Shelby County v. Holder was a Supreme Court case in which Shelby County of Alabama claimed that section 4 and 5 of the Voting Rights Act were unconstitutional and hindered the district's enforcement. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Shelby County, proclaiming that the issues listed in section 4 and 5 were no longer evident. -
Obergefell v. Hodges
Obergefell v. Hodges was a Supreme Court case in which groups of same-sex couples challenged their states' bans on same-sex marriage. They argued that the states were violating the equal protection and due process clauses of the 14th amendment, which the Supreme Court agreed with. The Court ruled that the 14th amendment mandated recognition for same-sex marriages. -
Equal Rights Amendment
The equal rights amendment is the proposed 28th amendment to the U.S. constitution that would, if added, end the legal differences between men and women in cases of employment, wages, divorce, etc. -
Voter ID Laws
Voter ID laws require people to provide official identification if they are to vote in an election. 36 of the 50 states have some sort of mandate requiring voters to show ID, which has become controversial with what it means for marginalized groups who want to vote. Many argue that these laws hinders the voice of minorities in elections.