1. OUR LIVING CONSTITUTION
Changing the Law of the Land

2. Changing the Law of the Land
over 5000 amendments introduced!
Abolishing Slavery
the word “slavery” is not in the Constitution
3/5 Compromise
runaway slaves must be returned

3. Abolishing Slavery Missouri Compromise Dred Scott Decision
for every slave state admitted to the Union, a free state must be admitted to balance representation in Congress
Dred Scott Decision
Supreme Court Decision
a slave is property no matter which state he/she travels
owners can reclaim a slave in northern states
northern states outraged
technically makes slavery legal everywhere

4. Abolishing Slavery 13th Amendment: Slavery abolished
African Americans & Rights
13th Amendment: Slavery abolished
14th Amendment: (Second Bill of Rights); no state can deprive citizens of natural rights & power to grant citizenship is in federal gov.
15th Amendment: – Gives all citizens in U.S. right to vote (can deprive on basis of race, color, or previous condition of servitude)
24th Amendment: (1964) Poll taxes declared illegal (passed during Civil Rights Movement)
Thomas Nast. Emancipation. Philadelphia: S. Bott, Wood engraving. Prints and Photographs Division. Reproduction Number: LC-USZ

5. Women’s Suffrage Traditional Views Challenging Views Not smart
Belong in the home
Politics is for men
Challenging Views
Women begin working (industrialization)
More educated
Blacks can vote; why can’t we?
June 18, 1873 Headlines blared: “The Woman Who Dared”
It was we, the people, not we, the white male citizens...who formed the Union.” —Susan B. Anthony

6. Women’s Suffrage The 19th Amendment introduced in 1878
states pass individual voting laws (MI – 1918)
federal amendment ratified in 1920

7. Age and Voting 26th Amendment Changed legal voting age from 21 to 18
Ratified in 1971
Why?
war

8. The Road to Brown

9. OUR LIVING CONSTITUTION
A Flexible Framework

10. Supreme Court – the final say
Equality & Segregation
Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) – establishes separate but equal principle
Plessy wants to ride in a “whites only” railroad car
Leads to racism, discrimination, lynchings
1950s – many questions segregation
Supreme Court rules in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

11. Brown v. Board of Education
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954)
Is separate equal?
Linda Brown wants to go to “white school”
7 blocks from white school; 21 blocks from black
Argued by Thurgood Marshall
lawyer at National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
first black Supreme Court Justice
separate in NOT equal
All segregation laws overturned

12. Equality & Affirmative Action
Steps taken to counteract the effects of past racial discrimination and discrimination against women.
Fair or reverse discrimination

13. Affirmative Action
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978)
White student (Bakke) couldn’t get into UC; spots reserved for minorities
Had higher GPA
Supreme Court
Cannot be discriminated against because of race
Race can be ONE of the factors considered in Admissions Process
1996 – CA voters approve Proposition 209
state universities & employers cannot race when accepting students or hiring employees

14. Affirmative Action

15. Affirmative Action University of Michigan
Gratz v. Bollinger (2003) – College of LSA
Grutter v. Bollinger (2003) – Law School

16. Women & Equality Phillips v. Martin Marietta Corporation (1971)
Ida Phillips applies
Company asks if she has young children
Denied job based on this status
Wins here case at Supreme Court
In the application process, NO COMPANY CAN ASK
if you are married
if you have children
Robin Morris "Working Mom"

17. FRONTLINE: A Class Divided