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Missouri Compromise
This was a legislation passed by Congress to maintain balanced power between the free and slave states. -
Compromise of 1850
After the Mexican-American War, several laws were passed to reduce tension between free and slave states. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
This act repealed the Missouri Compromise. Settlers in Kansas and Nebraska could decide whether they wanted to allow slavery. This led to violent conflict over slavery. -
Abraham Lincoln is elected
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the United States. He was against slavery. -
Secession of South Carolina
South Carolina was the first state to secede from the union, which led to the secession of other Southern states. -
13th Amendment Passes
The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution becomes law, abolishing slavery in the United States. -
14th Amendment Passes
The 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution gets ratified, guaranteeing due process and equal protection rights to all. -
15th Amendment Passes
The 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution gets ratified, guaranteeing the right to vote for all U.S. citizens. -
Plessy vs. Ferguson
The U.S. Supreme Court's "separate but equal" decision approved laws requiring racial segregation, as long as those laws didn't allow for separate accommodations and facilities for Black people that were inferior to those for white people.
"Our Constitution is color-blind, and neither knows nor tolerates classes among citizens." -
19th Amendment Passes
The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution becomes law, granting women the right to vote. -
Legacy of The Voting Rights Act Expansion of The 1970’s
Made discrimination at the ballot box unconstitutional -
Title IX Enacted
Prohibited sex-based discrimination in federally funded education programs. -
Regents of the University of California bakke
The Supreme Court case centered on the constitutionality of affirmative action in college admissions -
Civil Rights Restoration Act
Reinstated broader coverage for civil rights protections in institutions. -
Voting Rights Act Reauthorization
Extended protections for 25 more years; required jurisdictions to provide bilingual voting materials. -
Guion Stewart bluford jr
First African American to travel to space -
The civil right restoration act of 1987
Focused on to restore the broad scope of civil rights protection that had been narrowed by the supreme court’s decision -
Civil Rights Act of 1991
Strengthened federal civil rights laws, particularly regarding employment discrimination. -
Election of Barack Obama
First African American president elected, seen as a milestone in civil rights progress. -
Black Lives Matter Protests
National and global protests following George Floyd's death, renewing civil rights calls.