Civil Rights Flashcards
How are Civil Rights protected by the Constitution?
Checks and balances by the founding fathers to prevent an overly powerful government. Supreme court gives citizens a right to appeal. Entrenched constitution - difficult for governments to remove rights.
How do the Bill of Rights protect Civil Rights?
10 amendments were created to protect rights of citizens from the government.
Which further amendments protect Civil Rights?
13th - Abolished slavery. 14th - Gave former slaves full citizenship. 19th - Gave women the right to vote. 24th - Gave Americans the right to vote without tax.
How does the Supreme Court protect Civil Rights?
Interprets the constitution to ensure it applies rights stated in it. Brown v Board. Roe v wade. Obergefell V Hodges.
How have Civil Rights improved due to the government?
Congress - civil rights act 1964. Voting Rights act 1965. Fair housing act 1968. Loving v Virginia. Desegregation of military.
In what ways have Civil Rights suffered as a result of government?
Jim crow laws, voter suppressions laws, suppression of demonstrations, targeting of civil rights acts weakly enforced.
What happened to civil rights in the USA before 1900?
1863 - Emancipation Proclamation. 1868 - 14th amendment. 1870 - 15th amendment. 1896 - Laws requiring separation of races are deemed legal.
What happened to civil rights in the USA in the early 1900’s?
1900 - lynching of African Americans. 1910 - NAACP is founded. 1920 - 19th amendment - guarantees American women can vote. 1925 - KKK marches in DC. 1948 - Segregation outlawed in the military.
What happened to civil rights during the 1950’s?
1954 - Brown V Board of education. 1955 - Emmet till is murdered. 1956 - Bus boycott ends in victory.
What happened to Civil Rights during the 1960’s?
1960 - Sit ins by Black college students. 1962 - Kennedy allows the first Black student to attend university. 1963 - ‘I have a dream’ 1964 - MLK given Nobel peace prize. 1965 - Malcom X assassinated.
What role have the NAACP had in Civil Rights?
Thurgood Marshall was a part of the success of Brown v Board. Anti lynching campaigns - congress didn’t pass laws until 2022.
What role have NOW had in Civil Rights?
Advocated for civil rights legislation, supported Roe v. Wade, access to birth control, fight for equal pay, violence against women act 1994, marriage equality.
What role have the NRA had in Civil Rights?
Programmes such as ‘refuse to be a victim’ have lobbied for shall issue laws in states, support for civil rights, leaders to bear arms.
How has Planned Parenthood played a role in Civil Rights?
Has supported access to contraception, abortion services, preventative healthcare, helped shape Roe v. wade, advocates for LGBT rights, has set up community based links.
How has the ACLU played a role in Civil Rights?
Has fought against systemic racial discrimination in areas such as policing. Fought for marriage equality. Obergefell v Hodges.
How have LGBT rights organisations fought for Civil Rights?
Largest civil rights organisation. Pushed for legal recognition of same sex marriage, led to Obergefell V Hodges.
How has Black Lives Matter fought for Civil Rights?
Raising awareness to police brutality, campaigns for police accountability. ‘Defund the police’ reinforced support for reforming law enforcement. Support for black owned business.
How have the Supreme Court had a role in Civil Rights?
Regents of the University of California V Bakke, Gratz V Bollinger, Grutter Bollinger.
What did Regents of the University of California V Bakke do?
Outlawed set quotas for students, but said race could be considered for admissions procedure.
What did Gratz V Bollinger do?
Said that it was unconstitutional to select students based on race, and UOM’s admissions programme was individualised.
What did Grutter Bollinger do?
Overturned Gratz - and said affirmative action was acceptable.
What did Community schools v Seattle school district do?
Stated it was unconstitutional to place students in a specific school just for the purpose of racial balance.
What was Fisher V University of Texas?
The court ruled that the university’s use of race in admission policy must be subjected to stricter scrutiny, because there was discrimination. Fisher was originally rejected.
What did the 2016 Supreme Court ruling say about Affirmative Action?
Suggests that the government supports affirmative action, to support previously disadvantaged students into good employment opportunities.
What are the arguments for affirmative action?
Leads to greater levels of diversity, opens up areas of education which minorities wouldn’t have considered, created a better learning environment, the most effective means so far to deliver equal opportunity.
What are the arguments against affirmative action?
Leads to one group being disadvantaged, focuses on groups rather than individuals, can lead to minorities being ill equipped, encourages prejudice, can be condescending.
How were the 2018 midterms useful for affirmative action?
40 women of colour in the house, In 33 congress races, both opponents were women. 10 fewer GOP women, 26 more democratic women.
Why is it difficult to measure the success of affirmative action?
You can’t measure how successful someone is in their position only based on race.
How has affirmative action been positive?
Increased diversity in higher education, creating a more inclusive economy, addresses historical disadvantages, promotes social mobility.
How has affirmative action been positive?
Reverse discrimination, perpetuates racial divisions, eliminates meritocracy, focuses only on class, unfair advantage, negative consequences in minority groups.
What is the role of the Alt Right?
50 people killed in 2018 by the far right. Black churches were burned down. South Carolina - Nine African Americans killed. ‘Unite the right’ Trump didn’t condemn the rally. Texas shooting of Hispanics in 2019.
What is the role of Black Lives Matter?
Began in 2013 when a police officer was acquitted in a shooting. Protests in the streets, Black Americans are 2.5x more likely to be killed by police. George Floyd - 23 million people protested. Trump threatened to send in the military.
