Civil Rights

Question 1

When was slavery banned nationally?

Answer 1

13th amendment in 1865
Banned slavery and allowed congress to legislate against states

Question 2

When were all American-born individuals granted citizenship?

Answer 2

14th amendment in 1868
Overruled Scott vs sandford

Gained protection from states: cannot limit privileges of American citizenship

Question 3

When was discrimination banned in the US?

Answer 3

15th amendment 1870
Depriving of the vote based on race banned

Question 4

When was discrimination in public facilities allowed by judicial review?

Answer 4

Plessy vs Ferguson 1896
Louisiana required trains to provide accommodation for white and black passengers

Question 5

What was the unofficial segregation which existed in northern states?

Answer 5

De facto
Minorities in worse economic areas
Discrimination in job opportunities
Constriction projects such as highways damaging black dominated house price

Question 6

When was the first law passed in congress against discrimination?

Answer 6

Civil Rights Act 1964. Banned discrimination on race, colour, religion, sex, national origin

Question 7

Which act aimed at removing voting discrimination measures?

Answer 7

Voting Rights Act 1965 Banned literacy tests and states needed federal approval for electoral changes

Question 8

When was affirmative action established?

Answer 8

JFK executive order
Created equal employment opportunity council
required federal employers to ensure no discrimination against applicants

Question 9

When did federal government require diversity information to be shared by employers?

Answer 9

Johnson executive order
Anyone with over $50,000 in federal contracts had to make visible efforts to increase diversity

Question 10

Which republican president aimed to promote minority business owners?

Answer 10

Nixon established Office of Minority Business Enterprise 1969
Set aside a portion of federal contracts for minority businesses

Question 11

What was the Philadelphia Plan 1970?

Answer 11

Federal contractors were given mandatory quotas for diversity

Question 12

When was affirmative action in university challenged?

Answer 12

U Cal v Bakke 1978
Supreme Court ruled reserving 16 places on the course for minorities broke 14th amendment

Question 13

Adarand Construction v Pena 1995

Answer 13

Construction company owned by whites lost federal contract despite having more competitive offer
Contractors given bonuses for subcontracting minorities

All affirmative action had to pass strict scrutiny after this case

Question 14

What is strict scrutiny?

Answer 14

Prove AA serves government interest against a serious problem and that no other options were available to achieve this outcome

Question 15

How can affirmative action be seen to have improved income inequality?

Answer 15

Statistics show black middle class grew and minorities reduced income inequality

In 1968, black male only 20% as likely to be a manager as white
In 1998, rose to 50%

Question 16

Poverty rates according to ethnic group

Answer 16

10% of whites
24% of blacks
14% of Hispanic

Question 17

Which study showed existing employment discrimination?

Answer 17

2001 by National Bureau of Economic Research

Applications with white names were 50% more likely to receive call backs and interviews than black

Question 18

What was the change in UC Berkeley admissions after the affirmative action ban?

Answer 18

1994 took in 8% black
2011 only 2% black

Question 19

Which amendment does affirmative action contradict?

Answer 19

14th amendment equal protection clause

Question 20

What is the mismatch theory?

Answer 20

Less qualified minorities gain place at top university but can’t keep up when they are studying

Question 21

What is an example of an alternative to affirmative action?

Answer 21

University of Texas uses top 10% plan

Increased diversity to 22% in 2003 higher than 16.5% in 1997 with affirmative action