Civil Rights Flashcards
Equal Protection Clause
requires states to apply the law the same way to one person that they would for another
Why was the Equal Protection Clause established and why was it important
it was established to protect the rights of newly freed slaves and was important because it extended these rights from federal to state level
13th amendment
banned slavery in the U.S.
14th amendment
established that all people born in the U.S. were citizens and required states to guarantee equal protection and due process of the law to all people
15th amendment
guaranteed African American males the right to vote
The three Reconstruction Era amendments
13th, 14th, 15th
How Native Americans were discriminated against
- forced off of their land and into reservations
- forced to go to ‘‘Americanization’’ schools where they were stripped of their culture and learned ‘‘American’’ culture and values
How Hispanics were discriminated against
- the immigration debate was centered around hispanics and not other groups
- faced discrimination in employment, housing, voting, and education
How women were discriminated against
- before 1920, women could not vote, serve on juries, and had unequal property and custody rights
- expected to take care of the family, did not have education and job opportunities
The 4 Progressive Era amendments
16th, 17th, 18th, 19th
16th amendment
Congress’s ability to levy a federal tax based on income. Most Americans were in favor, revenue came from tariffs which drove up prices on goods
17th amendment
Allowed voters to directly elect their U.S. Senators, rather than having state legislators choose them. Helped end elections that only won from bribes/corruption
18th amendment
banned the sale, transportation, and manufacturing of alcohol in the U.S. Alcohol was blamed for many social problems such as child abuse, domestic violence, and theft
19th amendment
gave women the right to vote
Two voting reforms passed during the 1960s
24th amendment and Voting Right Act of 1965
24th amendment
banned poll taxes which were used to keep African Americans from voting, used as Jim Crow legislation
Voting Rights Act of 1965
banned unfair test in voting, such as literacy test. Allowed federal agents to help register African American voters
Four ways to lose citizenship
- Committing serious crimes against the U.S. government -treason-
- Voluntarily giving up your citizenship
- Lying or providing false information during the naturalization process
Prejudice
a preconceived opinion that is not based off reason or actual experience
Racism
prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one’s own race is superior
Civil RIghts Act of 1866
sought to guarantee African Americans the right to sue, own property, and be a witness in court
Civil Rights Act of 1871
sought to protect African Americans from KKK violence. Provided harsher penalties for hate crimes, allowed individuals to sue state officials for civil rights violations
Jim Crow Laws
laws aimed mostly at African Americans -also Hispanics and Native Americans- They were designed to maintain white power and privilege. Also kept non-whites in an inferior position
Civil Disobedience
nonviolent refusals to obey the law as a way to advocate change. Goal is to spark a violent reaction
Civil Right Act of 1957
established the Civil Rights Commision -investigate civil rights violations- and created a civil rights division within the Dept. of Justice -enforced civil rights laws-
Civil Right Act of 1960
gave the federal government the power to inspect local voter registration and penalize anyone who obstructs a person’s right to vote
Civil Right Act of 1964
Banned discrimination based on race, color, national origin, or sex in voting, employment, and public accommodations. Created the Equal Employment Commision
Civil Right Act of 1968
Banned housing discrimination including sale, rental, or financing
Affirmative Action
requires employers and institutions to provide opportunities for members of certain historically underrepresented groups. A way to diversify the workplace and education
Naturalization
the legal process by which an immigrant can become a citizen
Denaturalization
if someone lies or provides false information during the naturalization process they could lose citizenship
Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965
got rid of the country based quota system. Allows 290,000 immigrants annually. 120,000 from the western hemisphere and 17,000 from the eastern. 1990 law was updated to 670,000 immigrants annually
