Dred Scott and Slavery
Why did Dred Scott living in free territories become important to his case?
Made him free under the idea of “once free, always free.”
Why wasn’t the 13th Amendment enough to create equality?
The 13th Amendment ended slavery, but it did not address citizenship, voting rights, or protection from discrimination.
What did the Separate Car Act require—and why is that a civil rights issue?
The Separate Car Act required separate railway cars for Black and white passengers, andis a civil rights issue because it legalized racial segregation and denied equal treatment under the law.
Why was the Montgomery Bus Boycott effective in creating change?
The Montgomery Bus Boycott organized nonviolent protest drawing national attention and leading to a Supreme Court decision that ended bus segregation.
Why did the ‘once free, always free’ argument fail in Dred Scott?
The Supreme Court ruled that Black Americans were not citizens, so Scott had no legal right to sue in federal court.
How does the Equal Protection Clause in the 14th Amendment directly connect to later cases like Brown v. Board?
The Supreme Court used the Equal Protection Clause in Brown v. Board to rule that segregation violated the 14th Amendment (separate schools were not equal).
How did Plessy v. Ferguson justify segregation under the law?
The Court justified segregation by interpreting the 14th Amendment, claiming that separation did not deny equal protection under the law.
How did actions by individuals like Rosa Parks connect to larger systemic change?
Sparked collective action, which led to organized movements, and national attention.
How did the Dred Scott v. Sandford decision limit civil rights for ALL Black Americans, not just Scott?
The Court ruled that Black Americans were not citizens and had no rights the government was bound to respect, limiting civil rights for all.
Why did the 15th Amendment fail to actually protect voting rights in practice?
States created barriers like literacy tests and poll taxes and the federal government did not enforce the amendment effectively.
Was segregation made legal because of the Constitution itself, or because of how the Supreme Court interpreted it?
Segregation became legal through the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the 14th Amendment. The Constitution did not require segregation.
Why was Brown v. Board not enough to create real civil rights change?
Brown v. Board did not provide strong enforcement and did not address discrimination in other areas.