Central Ideas in American Government Chapter 4

What was the majority opinion in Shelby County v. Holder?

*Coverage formulas are unconstitutional, but changes to state voting laws can still be reviewed by Congress.

In the majority opinion, Chief Justice Roberts declared coverage formulas unconstitutional, finding them no longer relevant to contemporary circumstance. However, the ruling did leave the door open for Congress to develop new coverage formulas based on updated standards.

For which of the following do civil rights require equal protection?

*gender

Civil rights require equal protection for all citizens regardless of gender—as well as race, color, religion, age, disability, and national origin.

At what point was the concept of equality enshrined in the U.S. Constitution?

*when the 14th Amendment was ratified

The concept of equality was enshrined in the Constitution with the ratification of the 14th Amendment, which is where the Equal Protection Clause can be found.

The Equal Protection Clause prohibits which type of discrimination?

*unreasonable

The Equal Protection Clause prohibits unreasonable discrimination, which means the government must treat everyone the same.

Affirmative action represents an example of which of the following?

*policies based on equality of outcome

Affirmative action represents an example of guaranteeing equality of outcome because it involves policies that seek to assist previously disadvantaged groups.

Which of the following represents an accurate description of what transpired in 1808?

*The enslaved population numbered over one million.

Despite Congress officially banning the slave trade, by 1808 there were more than one million enslaved people in the United States.

What was the immediate effect of Abraham Lincoln's election to the presidency?

*South Carolina seceded from the Union.

The immediate effect of Abraham Lincoln's election to the presidency was South Carolina's secession from the Union; six other states would soon follow.

Which of the following states had an enslaved population that was not freed by the Emancipation Proclamation?

*Missouri

The enslaved population in Missouri was not freed by the Emancipation Proclamation because the state was not actively in rebellion against the Union.

What was the significance of the Missouri Compromise?

*It granted freedom to any enslaved person whose owner established residence in a free territory.

The significance of the Missouri Compromise was that it granted freedom to any enslaved person whose owner established residence in a free territory.

Which amendment banned all forms of slavery and involuntary servitude?

*the 13th Amendment

The 13th Amendment banned all forms of slavery and involuntary servitude.

Which amendment guaranteed African Americans the right to vote?

*the 15th Amendment

The 15th Amendment guaranteed all male citizens the right to vote regardless of "race, color, or previous condition of servitude."

What was the aim of Radical Republicans during Reconstruction?

*to seek legislation that improved voting rights for freedmen

Radical Republicans were partisans who strongly supported Reconstruction policies in Congress and passed legislative reforms that guaranteed the rights of freedmen.

What was the purpose of Jim Crow laws?

*to segregate society by race

Jim Crow laws ushered in an era of racial segregation.

The ruling in which of the following cases established the "separate but equal" doctrine?

*Plessy v. Ferguson

The Supreme Court's ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) established the "separate but equal" doctrine, which provided a legal justification for racial segregation in the ensuing decades.

The American Woman Suffrage Association differed from the National Woman Suffrage Association in which of the following ways?

*It targeted amendments to state constitutions.

The American Woman Suffrage Association differed from the National Woman Suffrage Association in that it targeted amendments to state constitutions.

Who drafted the 19th Amendment to the Constitution?

*Susan B. Anthony

Susan B. Anthony drafted the 19th Amendment to the Constitution.

Compare the text of the Declaration of Sentiments to the U.S. Declaration of Independence, which can be viewed here. Which of the following is an example of a difference between the two documents?

*The Declaration of Sentiments claims that "all men and women are created equal," while the Declaration of Independence merely states that "all men are created equal."

The Declaration of Sentiments and the Declaration of Independence differ in that the Declaration of Sentiments claims that "all men and women are created equal," while the Declaration of Independence merely states that "all men are created equal."

Which of the following provides the BEST explanation for why Stanton patterned her document so closely after the Declaration of Independence?

*She wanted to emphasize the parallel between the American colonists and contemporary women as oppressed groups standing up for "self-evident" and "inalienable" rights.

Stanton most likely patterned her document so closely after the Declaration of Independence to emphasize the parallel between the American colonists and contemporary women as oppressed groups standing up for their natural rights.

Which of the following BEST describes how the crowds of onlookers reacted to the suffrage parade?

*They verbally abused the marchers and sometimes impeded their movement.

The crowds of onlookers verbally abused the marchers and sometimes impeded their movement.

According to the essay, why was this parade so important for the movement at this particular time?

*It infused new life into the women's suffrage movement and renewed public interest in their cause.

According to the essay, this parade was so important for the movement at this particular time because it infused new life into the women's suffrage movement and renewed public interest in their cause.

Why did the parade organizers schedule their demonstration to coincide with the inauguration of Woodrow Wilson?

*They hoped to maximize the amount of press coverage of the event, since reporters and photographers would already be there for the inauguration.

Organizers timed the parade to coincide with the inauguration of Woodrow Wilson because Alice Paul hoped to maximize the amount of press coverage of the event, since reporters and photographers would already be there for the inauguration.

Which of the following protest tactics do you see Alice Paul and the suffragists use in the video?

*picketing

The suffragists are shown picketing as well as wearing sashes and participating in hunger strikes.

The video opens with a depiction of the National Woman's Party headquarters as a dark and strange place. Which of the following provides the BEST explanation for why the filmmakers chose to represent it in this light?

The National Woman's Party headquarters is presented as a dark and strange place to illustrate how the idea of women leaving the home and convening for political reasons was viewed as strange and unnatural to many people at the time.

When Alice Paul leads the suffragists (often called "silent sentinels") picketing in front of the White House, how does the video portray President Woodrow Wilson's response?

*He is seen watching them, but he does not appear to act immediately.

When Alice Paul leads the "silent sentinels" picketing in front of the White House, Woodrow Wilson is watching them but does not appear to act immediately.

Why did the suffragists who picketed the White House call themselves "silent sentinels"?

*They positioned themselves in such a way during their picketing that President Wilson would not be able to enter the White House without passing by them.

The suffragists who picketed the White House called themselves "silent sentinels" because, although they were not boisterous, they positioned themselves in such a way during their picketing that President Wilson would not be able to enter the White House without walking past them.

What event prompted the "silent sentinels" to picket in front of the White House?

*the president's disappointingly noncommittal response to their delegation

President Wilson's disappointingly noncommittal response to their delegation prompted the "silent sentinels" to picket in front of the White House.

Which of the following BEST summarizes Wilson's response to the suffragists' plea for presidential support for the passage of the Susan B. Anthony amendment?

*He claimed he personally believed in their cause, but as party leader, he was obligated first and foremost to follow the orders of his party.

President Wilson responded to the suffragists by claiming that he personally believed in their cause, but as party leader, he was obligated first and foremost to follow the orders of his party.

Why was Alice Paul going on a hunger strike?

*to protest the fact that her fellow imprisoned suffragists were being fed substandard food


Alice Paul went on a hunger strike to protest the fact that her fellow imprisoned suffragists were being fed substandard food.

What did the headquarters of the Woman's Party say about Alice Paul's hunger strike?

*They believed that she would hold out for a long time, possibly longer than people expected.

The headquarters of the Woman's Party predicted that Alice Paul would hold out for a long time, possibly longer than people expected.

Which of the following conclusions about Alice Paul can be drawn from the newspaper article about her hunger strike? Choose the BEST answer.

*Alice Paul was not afraid to go to extreme lengths in her dedication to her cause and her fellow suffragists.

The newspaper article reveals how Alice Paul was not afraid to go to extreme lengths in her dedication to her cause and her fellow suffragists.

What was the societal impact of Plessy v. Ferguson?

*It allowed racial inequality to persist in American society.

The separate but equal doctrine established in Plessy v. Ferguson allowed inequities between White and Black Americans to continue.

The NAACP primarily targeted inequities in which educational institutions?

*graduate and professional programs

The NAACP primarily targeted inequities in graduate and professional programs.

The "Doll Study" was used as evidence in which of the following cases?

*Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas

The "Doll Study" was used as evidence in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas.

In which of the following cases did the Supreme Court rule that schools must desegregate "with all deliberate speed"?

*Brown v. Board II

The Supreme Court ruled that schools must desegregate "with all deliberate speed" in Brown v. Board II.

Who were "The Little Rock Nine"?

*the group of African American students attempting to attend Central High School

"The Little Rock Nine" refers to the group of students attempting to attend Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Which U.S. Supreme Court case initially established the constitutionality of the "separate but equal" doctrine?

*Plessy v. Ferguson

The Supreme Court established the doctrine of "separate but equal" in the 1896 case of Plessy v. Ferguson, reasoning that state-mandated segregation did not violate the 14th Amendment as long as the separate facilities provided for White people and Black people were basically equal.

The Brown v. Board case focused on racial segregation practiced against African Americans in which of the following places?

*public schools

Brown v. Board focused on racial segregation in public schools.

What happened when Oliver Brown tried to enroll his daughter Linda in an all-White school?

*She was denied admission to the school, allowing the case challenging the "separate but equal" doctrine to proceed.


When Linda Brown was denied admission to the all-White school, the NAACP was able to proceed with its case challenging the "separate but equal" doctrine.

What was the significance of having a class action suit dealing with segregation in public schools?

*The Supreme Court was compelled to hear and decide on multiple cases at once.

A class action suit meant that the Supreme Court was compelled to hear and decide on multiple cases at once, issuing a broad ruling that would apply to all public schools in the nation.

How did the doll test demonstrate that separate was NOT equal?

*Because the majority of the children played with the White baby dolls and demonstrated anger toward the Black baby dolls, the study showed that segregation had the psychological effect of causing children to see Black people as inferior to White people.

The NAACP used the study's findings to show that segregated schools led to deep-rooted feelings of inferiority.

Why was it vital for the Court to issue a unanimous decision regarding desegregation in the case of Brown v. Board?

*to facilitate implementation of the ruling by sending a strong message of complete agreement

A unanimous decision would show that the Court staunchly believed that schools should be desegregated.

What enabled the Court to finally reach consensus on the issue of segregation and the case of Brown v. Board?

*the appointment of Earl Warren as Chief Justice


The justices struggled to reach consensus on the issue with Chief Justice Vinson presiding over the Court, but when Vinson died and Warren was appointed to the position, they were able to come to a unanimous decision.

Which clause of the Constitution ultimately rendered the "separate but equal" doctrine unconstitutional?

*the Equal Protection Clause

The Court decided that the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment rendered the "separate but equal" doctrine unconstitutional.

The Court met again one year after the initial ruling, in the case of Brown v. Board II, to check the progress of desegregation in schools. When they met, what did they find had happened?

*Very little had been done to implement the initial decision, and public schools were still segregated.

The Court found that nothing had been done to desegregate schools.

According to the video, what was unprecedented about the Supreme Court issuing this second decision in the Brown case?

*The Court was taking an active role in overseeing the implementation of a previous decision.


According to Professor Howard, "For the Court to actually step in and say that this must be done and that they were going to oversee it and that they were going to have the plan to desegregate the schools and that it should be done with all deliberate speed—this was something that was unprecedented at the time."

Why is Alejandro Cruz-Guzman suing the state of Minnesota?

*He believes the state has condoned segregated school zones.

According to the article, Mr. Cruz-Guzman claims that "Minnesota knowingly allowed towns and cities to set policies and zoning boundaries that led to segregated schools, lowering test scores and graduation rates for low-income and non-White children."

In Brown v. Board, advocates of school desegregation focused on the federal court system. Why are advocates in more recent lawsuits focused on state courts instead?

*The right to an education is more explicitly defined in state constitutions than it is in the U.S. Constitution.

Because the federal courts have already ruled on school desegregation—and education isn't mentioned in the U.S. Constitution—many advocates of school desegregation now argue that school districts are violating provisions in state constitutions.

What is the main question courts have been considering in the cases mentioned in the article? Choose the BEST answer.

*whether unequal funding is leading to inadequate education for low-income students

Many of the cases mentioned in the article dealt with school finance systems and underfunding in states like New Mexico, Kansas, Pennsylvania, and Florida.

What did the 2016 study mentioned in the article reveal about student success?

*that per-pupil spending is correlated with increased retention rates and lifetime earning potential

The article states that "spending 10 percent more per pupil was associated with students staying in school longer and earning about 7 percent more in adulthood."

According to Hanushek, is increasing education spending the best way to improve student achievement scores?

*No, because significant improvements have not been seen despite continual increases in education spending.

Hanushek states that the impact of increased spending is difficult to measure and has not proved effective (though he does support desegregation efforts).

What remedy to school inequality proved successful in the past?

*busing students across school zones

School busing was deemed successful in states like North Carolina in the decades after the Brown ruling.

Why are advocates for charter schools nervous about the Minnesota lawsuit?

*because the lawsuit argues that the state has made a mistake by excluding charter schools from desegregation efforts

Charter-school advocates are nervous about the lawsuit because charter schools are traditionally attended by mostly non-White and low-income students, which advocates believe protects these students from discrimination at traditional public schools.

How did the Minnesota Supreme Court rule in the case brought forth by Cruz-Guzman?

*It ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, allowing the case to move to trial.

Justice Hudson's ruling in Minnesota, along with rulings in Kansas and New Mexico, moved school inequality issues through the court and signaled that courts across the country were ready to rule in favor of further school equality rights.

What was the immediate effect of Rosa Parks's arrest?

*a yearlong bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama



The immediate effect of Rosa Parks's arrest was a yearlong bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama.

Which of the following organizations used radical protest tactics such as sit-ins and Freedom Rides?

*the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC)

SNCC was led by a diverse group of college students who used radical protest tactics such as sit-ins and Freedom Rides.

To whom did Martin Luther King, Jr. direct his "Letter from Birmingham Jail"?

*White clergymen


Dr. King directed his "Letter from Birmingham Jail" to White clergymen because they sympathized with his cause.

Which of the following drew national attention to the issue of racial inequality?

*television coverage of police brutality

Television coverage of police brutality against civil rights protestors in Birmingham drew national attention to the issue of racial inequality.

What was one of the purposes of the Civil Rights Act of 1964?

*to ban discrimination based on race

One of the purposes of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was to ban discrimination based on race. The act also banned discrimination based on color, religion, or national origin.

Which states did the federal government threaten to withhold money from?

*states that refused to comply with the Civil Rights Act of 1964

The federal government enforced the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by threatening to withhold federal funding from any state that did not comply.

Which of the following became referred to as "Bloody Sunday"?

*the police attack on participants in a march from Selma to Montgomery

The police attack on participants in a 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery was referred to as "Bloody Sunday."

Which group did President Kennedy task with the investigation of the treatment of women in American society?

*the Presidential Commission on the Status of Women

President Kennedy tasked the Presidential Commission on the Status of Women with investigating the treatment of women in American society.

Protective legislation promotes which of the following?

*policies that addressed women's biological differences from men

Protective legislation involves policies that address women's biological differences from men, promote women's health, and protect women from exploitation.

What was the purpose of Title IX?

*to ensure equality of funding between women's and men's educational programs

Title IX was instrumental in ensuring equality of funding between women's and men's educational programs. It is most commonly associated with athletics programs.

Korematsu v. United States introduced which standard of review?

*compelling state interest test

Korematsu v. United States generated the "compelling state interest test" standard of review.

What must the government prove to satisfy the intermediate standard of review?

*that the means used are intended to advance an important government interest


In order to satisfy the intermediate standard of review, the government must prove that the objective serves an important and substantial government interest.

In which of the following standards of review are the interests of the individual given the most weight?

*strict scrutiny

The interests of the individual are given the most weight in the strict scrutiny standard of review.

Which of the following standards of review is used to evaluate government action in relation to the Equal Protection Clause?

*strict scrutiny

Strict scrutiny is used to evaluate government action in relation to the Equal Protection Clause.

Which of the following tactics has frequently been employed by Latino civil rights groups?

*rallies

Latino groups have frequently used massive rallies or public demonstrations to call for civil rights protections and immigration reform.

The Longest Walk" is an example of which type of tactic?

*mass mobilization

The Longest Walk" is an example of mass mobilization.

What was one major achievement of the disability rights movement?

*the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990


The passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990 marked a major legislative achievement for the disability rights movement.

In his majority opinion for the case of Obergefell v. Hodges, which constitutional amendment did Justice Kennedy rely on to justify the Supreme Court's decision legalizing same-sex marriage?

*the 14th Amendment

The reasoning behind the Court's decision to legalize same-sex marriage was rooted in the Due Process and Equal Protection clauses of the 14th Amendment.

Which of the following accurately illustrates the different types of segregation?

*Racially segregated schools were a form of de jure segregation.

Deliberately and legally segregating public schools by race is a form of de jure segregation.