CHAPTER 6
Civil Rights
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. An example of a difference in treatment toward certain groups that qualifies as reasonable is
a.
classifying people according to race.
b.
taxing different classes at different rates.
c.
classifying people according to ethnic group.
d.
testing for AIDS according to class.
e.
classifying people according to religion.
2. Which statement best summarizes the pertinent question of civil rights?
a.
Laws cannot make distinctions among people.
b.
Laws cannot discriminate.
c.
Laws must treat everyone equally.
d.
Laws can treat different people differently, but such differences must be reasonable.
e.
Laws can discriminate as long as they do not make distinctions.
3. The National Urban League has credited civil rights laws for
a.
improving the number of blacks enrolled in college.
b.
decreasing the white-black poverty gap.
c.
increasing the number of black homeowners.
d.
failing to decrease the black-white unemployment ratio.
e.
All of the above are correct.
4. The _________ Amendment to the U.S. Constitution appeared to guarantee equal rights for blacks.
a.
First
b.
Fourteenth
c.
Twenty-first
d.
Twenty-fifth
e.
Twenty-sixth
5. In the Slaughter-House Cases (1873), the Supreme Court ruled
a.
that the “privileges and immunities” clause of the Fourteenth Amendment did not protect
citizens from discriminatory actions by state governments.
b.
that separate facilities were acceptable as long as they were equal.
c.
that segregation is unconstitutional.
d.
that the literacy test is acceptable.
e.
that juries cannot be all of one race.
6. In the __________ decision, the Supreme Court ruled that “separate-but-equal” facilities were
constitutional.
a.
Plessy v. Ferguson
b.
Brown v. Board of Education
c.
Loving v. Virginia
d.
Cumming v. Richmond County Board of Education
e.
Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education
7. One reason the NAACP’s strategy of using the courts to further black civil rights worked was that it
a.
avoided focusing on the clearest abuses.
b.
presented broad economic demands to whites.
c.
avoided direct confrontation with a conservative Supreme Court.
d.
did not require a broad legislative alliance.
e.
avoided the complications that often surround appellate processes.
8. Lloyd Gaines had a tremendous impact on the interpretation of the Constitution when he attempted to
a.
ride a bus.
b.
enter law school.
c.
run for political office.
d.
ride a train.
e.
vote.
9. In Brown v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court
a.
declared unconstitutional laws creating schools that were separate but obviously unequal.
b.
declared unconstitutional laws supporting schools that were separate but unequal in
subtle ways.
c.
ruled that racially separate schools were inherently unequal and therefore unconstitutional.
d.
ruled that schools discriminating on the basis of race could be denied access to
federal funds.
e.
ruled that segregation was lawful if mandated by a state constitution.
10. In its decision in Brown v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court overruled __________ and the
“separate but equal” doctrine.
a.
Plessy v. Ferguson
b.
Brown v. Board of Education
c.
Loving v. Virginia
d.
Cumming v. Richmond County Board of Education
e.
Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education
11. In 1955, the Supreme Court ruled that desegregation should be
a.
implemented with due concern for public safety.
b.
monitored by local school officials.
c.
implemented “with all deliberate speed.”
d.
monitored by civil rights groups.
e.
delayed until there were significant shifts in population.
12. In order to discourage segregation, federal laws began to
a.
fire teachers in segregated schools.
b.
impose harsh grading standards on white students.
c.
remove accreditation from public schools in the southeastern United States.
d.
regulate textbooks that were critical of the Brown decision.
e.
withhold federal funds from segregated schools.
13. As its rationale for the decision in Brown, the Supreme Court relied primarily on
a.
the intent of the framers of the Fourteenth Amendment.
b.
the intent of Congress in the Fourteenth Amendment.
c.
social science evidence.
d.
a narrow interpretation of the U.S. Constitution.
e.
the redress of grievances clause in the First Amendment.
14. The difference between de facto and de jure segregation is that
a.
the former results from private choices, the latter from public law.
b.
the former results from public law, the latter from private choices.
c.
the former existed in the past, the latter continues in the present.
d.
the former continues in the present, the latter existed in the past.
e.
the former deals with perceptions, the latter deals with verified facts.
15. Starting with its decision in Brown v. Board of Education, the Court has treated race as a suspect
classification such that any law making racial distinctions must
a.
be reasonable.
b.
be acceptable.
c.
pass a test of strict scrutiny.
d.
be supported by all of the states.
e.
be color-bind.
16. The practice of mandating busing plans to remedy school segregation patterns was approved in the
case of
a.
Brown v. Board of Education.
b.
Sipuel v. County Trustee.
c.
Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education.
d.
Green v. County School Board of New Kent County.
e.
Plessy v. Ferguson.
17. In the Dred Scott Case (Scott v. Sanford), the Supreme Court ruled
a.
that the separate-but-equal facilities were constitutional.
b.
that busing to mandate integration was constitutional
c.
that Congress had no authority to ban slavery in a territory and that a slave was considered
a piece of property.
d.
that states could not ban interracial marriage.
e.
None of the above is true.
18. Rosa Parks had a tremendous impact on the civil rights movement when she refused to
a.
surrender her seat on a bus.
b.
be bussed to a white school.
c.
run for political office.
d.
ride a train.
e.
vote.
19. The philosophy of civil disobedience suggests that there is value to
a.
protesting against laws that are not enforced by civil authorities.
b.
peacefully violating the law.
c.
violating all laws with respect to civility.
d.
protesting in a legal manner, with respect for civil authority.
e.
using violence when laws are not conducive to civil society.
90 Chapter 6: Civil Rights
20. One factor helping to break the deadlock that developed in the civil rights movement during the early
1960s was the
a.
media coverage of violence by white segregationists.
b.
Supreme Court’s ruling in Brown v. Board of Education.
c.
decentralization of power in the House and Senate.
d.
civil unrest that shook several northern cities.
e.
election of Republican presidents.
21. Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech was given in front of
a.
the White House.
b.
the Washington Monument.
c.
the Capitol.
d.
the Lincoln Memorial.
e.
the Library of Congress.
22. One factor helping to break the deadlock that developed in the civil rights movement during the early
1960s was the
a.
Democratic landslide of 1964.
b.
Supreme Court’s ruling in Brown v. Board of Education.
c.
centralization of power in the House and Senate.
d.
civil unrest that shook several northern cities.
e.
election of Republican presidents.
23. On June 10, 1964, the Senate voted to invoke cloture and end a filibuster of the Civil Rights Act. This
was
a.
a key moment leading to the passage of the legislation.
b.
the first time in history that a filibuster aimed at blocking civil rights legislation had
been broken.
c.
a victory for the civil rights movement.
d.
None of the above is true.
e.
Options A, B, C, and D are true.
24. The textbook discusses how the growing political strength of southern blacks is evident because
a.
more than 10,500 blacks hold elective office in the south.
b.
four southern governors are black.
c.
six southern senators and twelve southern House members are black.
d.
two blacks from the same southern state have been elected to the Senate and House.
e.
three state have black supreme court justices.
25. In their struggle for equal treatment, women, unlike blacks, had to deal with a legal tradition that
a.
claimed to be protecting them.
b.
regarded them as chattel.
c.
had always treated them as equal in theory.
d.
had consistently ignored them.
e.
had accorded them special rights and responsibilities.
26. The origin of the movement to give more rights to women was probably the
a.
Rights Manifesto.
b.
Seneca Falls Convention.
c.
Nineteenth Amendment.
d.
“Rosie the Riveter” worker.
e.
Equal Rights Amendment.
27. The origins of the movement to give women the right to vote date back to
a.
the 1890s.
b.
the 1860s.
c.
the 1840s.
d.
the 1790s.
e.
the 1770s.
28. Women were first given the right to vote in states that were
a.
more highly populated and economically advanced.
b.
part of the original thirteen colonies.
c.
in the South.
d.
in the Midwest.
e.
in the West.
29. The __________ Amendment made clear that no state may deny the right to vote on the basis of sex.
a.
Fifteenth
b.
Nineteenth
c.
Twentieth
d.
Twenty-first
e.
Twenty-second
30. Since the 1970s, the Supreme Court has tended to apply this judicial standard to cases of gender
discrimination.
a.
Reasonable standard
b.
Intermediate scrutiny
c.
Strict scrutiny
d.
None of the above is true.
e.
Options A, B, C, and D are true.
31. The following is an example of a law that would only have to pass the reasonable standard where the
government argues for the distinction on a rational basis.
a.
Laws requiring somebody to be 21 to legally purchase alcohol
b.
Men being punished for statutory rape even if women are not punished
c.
Laws protecting the voting rights of blacks
d.
State laws setting different ages at which men and women legally become adults
e.
Women being barred from jobs by height and weight requirements
32. A great change in the status of women took place when
a.
many of them were successful on Wall Street in the 1930s.
b.
they began to serve as presidents of several prestigious law schools.
c.
they began to outperform men in civil service tests.
d.
millions were hired in defense plants during World War II.
e.
they formed a congressional caucus in the 1920s.
33. In 1963, the publication of __________by Betty Friedan strengthened the feminist movement.
a.
The Other Half
b.
The Silent Spring
c.
The Feminine Mystique
d.
The Great Dilemma
e.
The Crisis
34. Congress responded to the feminist movement by passing laws that
a.
prohibited discrimination on the basis of gender in employment and among students in any
school receiving federal funds.
b.
gave women equal access to the entering of all private organizations.
c.
outlawed all-male schools.
d.
provided free day care and maternal care to all working mothers.
e.
prohibited gender discrimination except when there was a compelling justification.
35. In Reed v. Reed, the Supreme Court ruled that
a.
gender discrimination violates the equal protection clause of the Constitution.
b.
general discrimination can be justified only if it serves “important governmental
objectives” and is “substantially related to those objectives.”
c.
Congress can draft men without drafting women.
d.
states may not finance an all-male military school.
e.
gender discrimination is permissible in the private sector.
36. In the Virginia Military Institute case, the Supreme Court required __________ for single-sex schools.
a.
a notable basis
b.
a compelling reason
c.
a compelling justification
d.
a rational basis
e.
an exceedingly persuasive justification
37. Drawing on rulings by the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission, the Supreme Court has tried
to define sexual harassment by ruling that
a.
it is illegal for someone to request sexual favors as a condition of employment or
promotion and it is illegal for an employee to experience a work environment that has
been made hostile or intimidating by a pattern of offensive sexual teasing, jokes,
or obscenity.
b.
an employer is not liable if he or she does not know that a subordinate has requested sex in
exchange for hiring or promotion.
c.
a work environment is not deemed hostile or intimidating by a steady pattern of offensive
sexual teasing, jokes, or obscenity.
d.
employers are “strictly liable” for a hostile or intimidating work environment even if they
did not know about the situation and did nothing about it.
e.
sexual harassment claims cannot be made in the absence of at least three witnesses.
38. In 1998, the Supreme Court ruled that a school system was not liable for the conduct of a teacher who
seduced a female student because
a.
the student lied to school officials in another proceeding.
b.
the student never reported the actions.
c.
the teacher left the school just hours after a complaint was filed.
d.
school codes regarding teacher-student relations were vague.
e.
school codes required several witnesses for harassment complaints.
39. Laws that address public order and the safety and morals of citizens have traditionally been considered
the focus of
a.
Congress.
b.
state judiciaries.
c.
state bar associations.
d.
police powers.
e.
state secretaries of state.
40. Which of the following statements concerning the “right to privacy” is correct?
a.
It is said to emanate from provisions in the Fourteenth Amendment.
b.
It is not mentioned in the Constitution.
c.
It is explicitly mentioned in the First and Fifth Amendments.
d.
It is explicitly mentioned in the First, Second, and Fifth Amendments.
e.
It is explicitly mentioned in the Preamble of the Constitution.
41. The Supreme Court has argued that the right to privacy can be found in __________ of the provisions
in the Bill of Rights.
a.
all
b.
legislative interpretations
c.
penumbras
d.
the Founders’ explanations
e.
Thomas Jefferson’s view
42. In this seminal decision, the Supreme Court held that a “right to privacy” is “broad enough to
encompass a woman’s decision whether or not to terminate a pregnancy.”
a.
Griswold v. Connecticut
b.
Webster v. Reproductive Health Services
c.
Planned Parenthood v. Casey
d.
Roe v. Wade
e.
Gonzales v. Carhart
43. Based on the Supreme Court’s decision in Roe, a woman has an unfettered right to an abortion
a.
in the first trimester.
b.
in the first and second trimesters.
c.
in the second trimester.
d.
in the second and third trimesters.
e.
in the third trimester.
44. Under the Supreme Court’s decision in Roe, states may ban abortions
a.
in the first trimester.
b.
in the first and second trimesters.
c.
in the second trimester.
d.
in the second and third trimesters.
e.
in the third trimester.
45. The Supreme Court first found a “right to privacy” in the __________ case.
a.
Griswold
b.
Roe
c.
Webster
d.
Casey
e.
Gonzales
46. The Hyde Amendment barred the use of federal funds for abortions
a.
for those persons under twenty-one years of age.
b.
except when the life of the mother was in danger.
c.
except in cases of rape.
d.
without parental consent.
e.
in the second trimester.
47. The Supreme Court’s decision in Casey was notable because
a.
it was the first unanimous decision of the Court in an abortion case.
b.
the Court struck down a parental consent requirement.
c.
the Court struck down a twenty-four-hour waiting period for abortions.
d.
Republican appointees struck down numerous restrictions on abortion in the states.
e.
Republican appointees joined in an opinion that refused to overturn Roe.
48. Since its decision in Roe, the Supreme Court struck down a state law requiring
a.
mandatory 24-hour waiting periods.
b.
parental consent for teenagers.
c.
provision of pamphlets with information about alternatives to abortion.
d.
mandatory consent of husbands.
e.
None of above is true.
49. Supporters of equality of opportunity tend to
a.
hold views that favor affirmative action policies.
b.
vote independent in elections.
c.
live in the New England states.
d.
have orthodox beliefs on many issues.
e.
have progressive beliefs on many issues.
50. A supporter of equality of opportunity as a way of redressing past civil rights inequities would be most
likely to advocate
a.
color-blind administration of the laws.
b.
preferential treatment for blacks.
c.
comparable-worth pay scales.
d.
busing for racial integration of schools.
e.
affirmative action.
51. Which of the following are statutory requirements for naturalization?
a.
Five years’ residency (three, if married to a citizen)
b.
Good moral character
c.
Attachment to constitutional principles
d.
Disposition to the good order of the United States
e.
All of the above are true.
52. Today, about __________ of aliens who seek citizenship are successful in meeting the statutory
requirements to become naturalized citizens.
a.
1 percent
b.
5 percent
c.
12 percent
d.
50 percent
e.
97 percent
53. The 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act granted amnesty and citizenship to illegal aliens who
a.
received college diplomas.
b.
remained employed for more than one year.
c.
voted in all state and local elections.
d.
resided continuously in this country since January 1, 1982.
e.
worked in a job vital to the nation.
54. The Supreme Court ruled in the Bakke case that
a.
explicit numerical quotas are illegal.
b.
busing is a legitimate tool to achieve racial balance.
c.
race should be taken into account when quotas are used.
d.
affirmative action programs are unlawful.
e.
affirmative action plans cannot include firings.
55. Unlike the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) considers
a.
the impact on local communities.
b.
qualifications and standards.
c.
quotas.
d.
reverse discrimination.
e.
excessive costs and undue hardships.
56. In a 2003 case involving admissions practices at the University of Michigan, the Supreme Court
reaffirmed its decision in Bakke by rejecting the use of
a.
a numerical goal.
b.
an exact numerical advantage.
c.
a plus factor.
d.
a racial measure.
e.
an ethnic policy mark.
57. The Supreme Court’s ruling in Bowers v. Hardwick suggested that the right to privacy does not protect
a.
issues related to the family.
b.
marriage.
c.
procreation.
d.
homosexual relations.
e.
None of the above is true.
58. In this seminal Supreme Court decision, the Court overturned its decision in Bowers by ruling that
state laws may not ban sexual relations between same-sex partners.
a.
Lawrence v. Texas
b.
Loving v. Virginia
c.
Bakke v. California
d.
Johnson v. Texas
e.
Boy Scouts of America v. Dale
59. Under the Defense of Marriage Act, signed by President Clinton,
a.
no state could legalize gay marriage.
b.
no state could modify the definition of marriage in any significant way.
c.
states that allowed gay marriages would lose federal funds.
d.
no state would be forced to recognize a same-sex marriage performed in another state.
e.
gays and lesbians could marry in federal courts.
60. George H.W. Bush signed affirmative action related legislation in 1991 that had the effect of
a.
removing incentives for employers to hire minorities.
b.
giving special preference to quota systems that lay off workers.
c.
shifting the burden of proof in discrimination claims to employers.
d.
granting special status to state quota programs that are required by law.
e.
discouraging the use of voluntary preference systems.
TRUE/FALSE
1. Until 1967, 16 states outlawed marriages between whites and nonwhites.
2. Laws cannot treat people differently.
3. In the late 1800s, the Supreme Court struck down a law that required that juries consist only of
white males.
4. In 1883, the Supreme Court ruled that racial discrimination in public accommodations (such as hotels)
was unconstitutional.
5. In Plessy v. Ferguson, the Supreme Court ruled that the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth
Amendment guaranteed political equality but not social equality.
6. The NAACP was formed by a group consisting of both whites and blacks.
7. The decision of the Supreme Court in Brown was unanimous.
8. In the immediate aftermath of Brown v. Board of Education, southern resistance to school integration
quickly collapsed.
9. The federal government withholding federal aid to segregated schools in the 1970s led many schools
to integrate.
10. Findings from social science studies on the impact of segregation on black children influenced the
Supreme Court’s ruling in Brown.
11. De jure segregation refers to segregation that is the result of residential patterns as opposed to
deliberate government policy.
12. A 1992 Supreme Court decision reaffirmed the necessity of busing to achieve full school integration
regardless of housing patterns.
13. The outcome of the 1964 election helped the civil rights forces.
14. The courts have so far declined to submit laws that treat men and women differently to the strict
scrutiny test.
15. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Virginia Military Institute when its tradition of admitting only
male cadets was challenged.
16. It is illegal for an employee to experience a work environment that has been made hostile or
intimidating by a steady pattern of offensive sexual teasing, jokes, or obscenity.
17. Privacy is mentioned only once in the Constitution.
18. In 1989, the Webster case upheld some state restrictions on abortion.
19. In Lawrence v. Texas, gay couples married in states where same-sex marriage is legal must receive the
same federal health, tax, and other benefits that heterosexual married couples receive.
20. In 2012, Tammy Baldwin became the first openly gay politician elected to the U.S. Senate.
100 Chapter 6: Civil Rights
ESSAY
1. In its 2013 State of Black America report, the National Urban League credited civil rights legislation
for helping the black community make progress in education and standard of living, but the same
report also listed a number of challenges still facing the community. Discuss these areas of progress
and the continuing challenges.
2. Describe the facts and discuss the effect of the ruling of the case Plessy v. Ferguson.
3. Outline the three-part strategy that the NAACP pursued in the Supreme Court in order to have the
separate-but-equal doctrine overruled in the area of schools.
4. Summarize the Court’s decision in Swann and discuss how this ruling has guided subsequent
integration cases.
5. Identify the four developments that made it possible to break the deadlock between the agenda-setting
and coalition-building aspect of the civil rights movement.
6. Indicate the factors that are considered in gender discrimination cases specifically, as a result of a 1971
case regarding the administration of estates.
7. Identify, define, and explain the three standards that the Supreme Court uses in discrimination cases.
8. Explain how the Supreme Court ruled that persons have “right of privacy” in Griswold and how this
ruling affected the Court’s decision in Roe v. Wade.
9. Summarize the two forms of sexual harassment defined in rulings by the Equal Employment
Opportunities Commission.
10. The Supreme Court’s deep division over affirmative action is evident in its opinions. Give five general
standards that seem to be emerging from its decisions?