Civil Rights and Supreme Court Decisions Overview

These flashcards summarize key concepts related to civil rights issues and Supreme Court decisions discussed in the lecture.

What does the Fourteenth Amendment primarily address?

The rights of African Americans after the Civil War.

What public policy issue is associated with the Fourteenth Amendment in contemporary debates?

Birthright citizenship, particularly in the context of immigration.

What discriminatory practice was eliminated by the Twenty-Fourth Amendment?

The poll tax required to vote.

What is the main focus of the Civil Rights unit in this course?

The U.S. Supreme Court's role in addressing discrimination in law.

What classification of laws does the Supreme Court suspect most heavily?

Laws involving race, religion, or ethnicity.

What standard does the Supreme Court use for gender discrimination cases?

Intermediate scrutiny.

Which test applies to laws involving age, wealth, or sexual orientation?

Rational basis test.

What law established that economic discrimination claims could be justified by capitalism?

The reasoning used in Supreme Court decisions regarding economic discrimination.

What was the outcome of the Dred Scott case decided by the Supreme Court?

Dred Scott was ruled not free, affirming that African Americans were not considered part of the political community.

What did the Civil Rights Act of 1875 aim to address?

Equality in public accommodations and transportation facilities.

What was the result of the Supreme Court's civil rights cases in 1883?

Private businesses were allowed to practice segregation and discrimination.

What was the significance of the Plessy v. Ferguson case?

It established the legality of 'separate but equal' doctrine for segregation.

How did the NAACP approach desegregation in higher education?

By targeting graduate schools first, arguing that equal facilities were difficult to achieve.

What key legislation did President Lyndon Johnson champion in 1964?

The Civil Rights Act of 1964.

What was one of the unexpected beneficiaries of the Civil Rights Act of 1964?

Women, particularly white women, were able to access more job opportunities.

What was the outcome of Shelby County v. Holder (2013) regarding the Voting Rights Act?

The Supreme Court struck down the preclearance requirement of Section 5.

What does 'de facto' segregation refer to?

Segregation that occurs in practice but is not mandated by law.

What role did Martin Luther King, Jr. and the SCLC play in the civil rights movement?

They adopted confrontational tactics to expose the realities of segregation.

What were the goals of the civil rights protests focused on voting rights in Selma?

To gain national support for federal legislation ensuring voter registration.

What does the phrase 'strict scrutiny' refer to in Supreme Court cases?

A rigorous standard used to evaluate laws that discriminate based on race or infringe on fundamental rights.