Chapter 9 Flashcards
Civil Rights
protection from discrimination based on characteristics such as race, national origin, religion, sex
Civil Rights
Supreme Court case that decided US Congress did not have the power to prohibit slavery in federal territories and slaves, as private property, could not be taken away without due process - basically slaves would remain slaves in non-slave states and slaves could not sue because they were not citizens
Dred Scott v. Sanford
constitutional amendment which abolished slavery
Thirteenth Amendment
constitutional amendment giving full rights of citizenship to all people born or naturalized in the United States, except for American Indians and guarantees equal protection/ due process of law
Fourteenth Amendment
constitutional amendment adopted to extend suffrage (right to vote) to African Americans.
Fifteenth Amendment
14th amendment clause that prohibits states from denying equal protection under the law, and has been used to combat discrimination
Equal Protection Clause
post Civil War law that prohibited privately owned places that offer public accomodation to distinguish between white and black patrons. This law was also meant to prevent discrimination in jury selection, churches, cemeteries, public schools and transportation. This law was deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
Civil Rights Act of 1875
Set of Supreme Court decisions that overturned the Civil Rights Act of 1875. The court held that the equal protection clause could only be applied to state action and not to actions taken my citizens in regard to their private property that provided a public service. Therefore, legalizing segregation with regard to private property.
Civil RIghts Cases (1883)
Laws designed to enforce segregation of blacks from whites
Jim Crow Laws
a requirement that citizens show that they can read before registering to vote. Form of discrimination against blacks.
Literacy Test
required citizens of a state to pay a special tax in order to vote. Form of discrimination against blacks.
Poll Taxes
allowed people to vote if their father or grandfather had voted before Reconstruction. Form of discrimination against blacks.
Grandfather Clause
the practice of keeping blacks from voting in the southern states’ primaries through arbitrary use of registration requirements and intimidation. Form of discrimination against blacks.
White Primary
Supreme Court doctrine established in the case of Plessy v. Ferguson. Allowed state-required racial segregation in places of public accommodation as long as the facilities were equal.
“Separate but Equal”
Supreme Court case that legalized state ordered segregation so long as the facilities for blacks and whites were equal
Plessy V. Ferguson
black organization/interest group that promotes equal right for blacks and fights against discrimination
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
Supreme Court case that overruled Plessy v. Ferguson, declared that racially segregated facilities are inherently unequal and ordered all public schools desegregated.
Brown V. Board of Education
first civil rights legislation enacted in the United States since Reconstruction.
Civil Rights Act 1957
Letters written by MLK encouraging non-violent protest against segregation.
Letter from Birmingham Jail
a law that outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The constitutional amendment passed in 1964 that declared poll taxes void in federal elections.
Twenty-Fourth Amendment
a law designed to help end formal and informal barriers to African-American suffrage (right to vote)
Voting Rights Act of 1965
Prior approval by the Justice Department of changes to or new election laws in certain states
Preclearance
voting districts in which a minority or a group of minorities make up the majority
Majority-Minority District
