Civil Rights. Civil Rights. The Declara9on of Independence 11/4/09

Transcription

1 Civil Rights Keeping the Republic Chapter 5 Civil Rights the process by which all ci9zens a;empt to gain equality The Declara9on of Independence We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are ins9tuted among men 1

2 Despite the Declara9on of Independence Slavery was recognized and protected by the Cons9tu9on. Ar9cle IV guaranteed the return of escaped slaves Confirmed by Dred Sco; v Sanford (1857) The word equality does not appear in the original Cons9tu9on. The Civil War Amendments 13th Amendment (1865 ) Ended slavery 14th Amendment (1868) Offered equal protec9on of the law 15th Amendment (1870) Vo9ng rights Plessey v. Ferguson In 1896 the Supreme Court ruled that separate but equal facili9es were acceptable 2

3 What does equality mean? Where to we expect to find it? No Black shopping downtown could stop at a soda fountain or an eatery for a meal. Blacks could only eat at a Jim Crow sec<on in Union Sta<on. One could only ride in colored cabs if available or acend colored movies in colored neighborhoods. Every facet of life was ordered and controlled a maddening atmosphere for any ci<zen who pledged allegiance to the flag, sang The Star Spangled Banner, and believed in the immortal words of the Cons<tu<on of the United States E. Frederic Morrow Jim Crow Laws Black codes were laws that supported or required segrega9on of the races. Oden referred to as Jim Crow Laws ader Jim Crow character from 1830s minstrel shows. Separate Water fountains Wai9ng rooms Dining areas Movie sea9ng Sea9ng on buses 3

4 Interracial Marriages In 1967 the Court struck down laws against interracial marriages At the 9me 16 states had such laws. Barriers to Vo9ng Literacy tests White primaries In9mida9on Poll taxes Segregated Schools De jure segrega9on Segrega9on based on law De facto segrega9on Segrega9on that results from housing pa;erns 4

5 Brown v. Board of Ed. In Brown v. the Board of Educa9on of Topeka Kansas (1956) the Supreme Court ruled that separate schools were inherently unequal. The Civil Rights Movement The Civil Rights Movement How do people led out of a democra9c system win access and equality? 5

6 Montgomery Bus Boyco; Sit Ins Central High Li;le Rock 6

7 The Debate Today What does equality mean? Equality of opportunity Equality of outcome Equality of Opportunity Everyone is given the same chance Everyone faces the same rules However.. Does past discrimina9on hinder making the most of opportuni9es today? Affirma9ve ac9on Programs that compensate for past discrimina9on 7

8 Women and Equality Women s Rights in the 19th Century Once married women had no legal iden9ty of their own and could not be party to a contract, bring a law suit, inherit property, or ini9ate divorce. Early Feminist Poli9cs Some of the earliest reforms dealt with protec9on within the family. Women saw drinking, gambling and pros9tu9on as threatening the family. The An9 Saloon League helped get gambling and pros9tu9on outlawed in every state except Nevada. 8

9 Seneca Falls Conven9on July 1848 Led by Elizabeth Cady Stanton (led), Lucre9a Mo; and others the conven9on called for equal rights for women. The Right to Vote Suffrage;es ba;led in the early 20th Century for the right to vote. The Nineteenth Amendment (1920) The right of ci9zens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex. Congress shall have power to enforce this ar9cle by appropriate legisla9on. 9

10 Proposed Equal Rights Amendment Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legisla9on the provisions of this ar9cle. This amendment shall take effect two years ader the date of ra9fica9on. Sexual harassment In 1980, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ruled that sexual harassment violates the 1964 Civil Rights Act. The Court has ruled that workers do not have to prove that harassment made them unable to do their jobs or caused them psychological harm, only that the work environment was hos9le or abusive. Hispanics and La9nos 10

11 Hispanic or La9nos In million Americans or 12.5% of the popula9on described themselves as Hispanic or La9no making this group the largest minority just ahead of the 12.3% of the na9on that describes themselves as Black or African American. Mexican Americans Puerto Ricans Cuban American What is Hispanic? 1959 wave of immigrants 1980s and more recent wave Broadening Civil Rights Older Americans The disabled Gays and lesbians 11

12 Extension of Civil Rights Laws By Court rule and by revision of law by Congress, more groups have come under the protec9on of civil rights laws. Federal and state laws now bar mandatory re9rement and other forms of age discrimina9on. Rights of the Disabled Americans with Disabili9es Act Passed in 1990 with bipar9san support. Requires that public facili9es be made accessible to the disabled. 12

13 Gay Marriages/Civil Unions Gay rights appears to be the next ba;leground over equality. 13