Chapter 5: Civil Rights and Public Policy Flashcards
Civil Rights
Personal rights and Policies designed to protect people against discriminatory treatment by government officials or individuals.
What does Equality mean?
Dec. of Ind. states “all men are created equal”. This doesn’t mean everyone is the same or looks the same. It talks about “unalienable rights” which shows that everyone has equality of opportunity, which means everyone has the same chance of success.
What are the 3 Standards of Review used to classify people under the equal protection clause
There are 3 criteria for evaluating whether something is constitutionally permissible
- inherently Suspect: based on Race and Ethnicity; Incredibly difficult to meet.
- intermediate scrutiny: based on gender; moderately difficult to meet.
- reasonableness: based on age, income, etc; easy to meet
Dred Scott v. Sandford
Supreme Court Case(1857) that ruled a slave who had escaped to a free state had no rights as a citizen and that Congress has no authority to ban slavery in the territories.
Plessy v. Ferguson
A case regarding segregation of African-Americans that claimed separate but equal amenities for white and colored races is constitutional.
“Separate but equal”
White and colored races were still segregated but provided somewhat the same resources. Created as a RESULT to the plessy v. ferguson case.
Civil Rights Movement Strategies
- Fought for rights by civil disobedience
- Formed the NAACP
- Got support from White Allies
- Focused on better areas of gov. to get help from (Court)
2 Types of Segregation
De Facto (by fact of life) and De Jure (by law): Civil Rights movement of 1964 made segregation illegal de jure, or by law. But it still exists de facto, or just happens by fact of life.
Civil Rights Act of 1994
Law that forbids racial discrimination, job discrimination, and helped strengthen voting rights for African-Americans and other minorites.
Suffrage
The legal right to vote, extended to African Americans(15th Amd.), Women(19th Amd.), and 18-20 year olds(26th Amd.)
Poll Taxes
Small taxes enforced when voting, used to exclude African Americans from voting.
White Primary
Elections from which only whites could vote, not African Americans, later banned by Supreme Court.
Voting Rights Act of 1965
A law designed to end African American suffrage, helped African Americans get the right and ability to vote.
“minority-majority” Definition
There is a majority of a minority group in the US.
Hernandez v. Texas
A case that extended discrimination protection to Hispanics
Equal Rights Amendment
States that equality under the law will not be restricted to anyone on account of gender
Reed v. Reed
Case where the US first acknowledged they were wrong about gender discrimination being constitutional.
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
Required employers to make accomidations for people with disabilities and prohibits discrimination against them.
Affirmative Action
Policy that gives special attention for disadvantaged groups in order to eliminate discrimination and provide them with equal opportunity for success.
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke
A state University can’t set aside places for members just on the basis of race/ethnicity. But it can be part of the factor for who gets admissioned.
These two organizations belong to what minority group? (NARF and AIM, Dawes Act)
Native Americans
Dawes Act: It was a way to discriminate Native Amerc.
NARF: Native American Rights Fund; AIM: American Indian Movement
These two organizations belong to what minority group? (LULAC and MALDEF
Hispanic Americans
LULAC: League of Un. Latin Amrc. Citz.; MALDEF: Mex. Amer. Legal Defense and Education Fund
These two organizations belong to what minority group? (NAACP and EEOC)
Mainly active during the black-american fight for freedom
NAACP: National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; EEOC: Equal Employment Opportunity Commision
Korematsu v. United States
When the US gathered more than 100k Japanese folk and placed in camps; said this was consitutional
This organization belong to what minority group? (NOW)
Women;
National Organization for Women
Equal Protection Clause
The government can’t deny a person equal protection as supported by the 14th amendment.
Title IX (9)
It prohibits educational institutions from discriminating against female students.
What key aspects of Civil Rights are there that isn’t in Civil Liberties
- The 14th Amendment
- Actions the government must do to ensure equal protection
* What the government needs to do
* Protects against discriminatory treatment
Obergefell v. Hodge
A case in favor of LGBTQ
