HOOK...In the past there have been many important cases that have affected the law, but two of the most substantial cases are “Plessy vs. Ferguson” and “Brown vs. Board of education”. These two cases set major precedents that are still relevant to this day. In the case of “Plessy vs. Ferguson” a man stood up against authority, when he was taken to court they found nothing wrong with segregating whites and blacks, despite what the majority believed the dissent felt differently and believed it was wrong. Something similar to this happened later in the case of “Brown vs. Board of education” a little girl and her mom thought that the segregation of schools was wrong, when it was taken to court the majority agreed and decided to put an end to it.
…show more content…
This act divided people of different races by placing them in separate cars on trains. Many black people were angered by this, and made it their goal to put an end to it, and the man the chose to lead their battle was Homer Plessy. Homer Plessy was a 30 year old man who was one-eighth black, and on June 7th, 1892, he purchased a first class ticket and sat in the whites only section. Railroad officials arrested Plessy, and charged him with violating the “Separate Car Act”. When Plessy was taken to court he argued that the act violated his 13th and 14th amendment rights. The 13th amendment states "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.”(Thirteenth (13th) Amendment Definition. Web. 07 Oct. 2017.) The 14th amendment basically states that all citizens have the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”. Plessy lost twice in lower court cases, and finally took it to the U.S Supreme Court. The Supreme Court maintained the decision that racial segregation is constitutional under the separate but equal …show more content…
Ferguson” and “Brown vs. Board of education” were different, they relate in many ways. For example, in both cases they were fighting segregation. Although the circumstances were not the same they both struggled to find the equality that the government said they had. Another example of how they are similar is how the government decided that as long as the train cars, and schools, were the same for each race, then there was nothing wrong with segregation. For instance in the Brown case it said “Ruling that they were substantially equal in “tangible factors” that could be measured easily, (such as “buildings, curricula, and qualifications and salaries of teachers)” ("Landmark Cases of the U.S. Supreme Court." Summary of the Decision | Www.streetlaw.org. Web. 08 Oct. 2017. Save to EasyBib) The same thing happened in the Plessy case. The majority argued that because everything abiotic the cars were the same that the only person in the wrong, because he violated a law, was Plessy. Despite the conditions of the case, they both changed the way the government, and people saw race as well as laws regarding
This act divided people of different races by placing them in separate cars on trains. Many black people were angered by this, and made it their goal to put an end to it, and the man the chose to lead their battle was Homer Plessy. Homer Plessy was a 30 year old man who was one-eighth black, and on June 7th, 1892, he purchased a first class ticket and sat in the whites only section. Railroad officials arrested Plessy, and charged him with violating the “Separate Car Act”. When Plessy was taken to court he argued that the act violated his 13th and 14th amendment rights. The 13th amendment states "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.”(Thirteenth (13th) Amendment Definition. Web. 07 Oct. 2017.) The 14th amendment basically states that all citizens have the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”. Plessy lost twice in lower court cases, and finally took it to the U.S Supreme Court. The Supreme Court maintained the decision that racial segregation is constitutional under the separate but equal …show more content…
Ferguson” and “Brown vs. Board of education” were different, they relate in many ways. For example, in both cases they were fighting segregation. Although the circumstances were not the same they both struggled to find the equality that the government said they had. Another example of how they are similar is how the government decided that as long as the train cars, and schools, were the same for each race, then there was nothing wrong with segregation. For instance in the Brown case it said “Ruling that they were substantially equal in “tangible factors” that could be measured easily, (such as “buildings, curricula, and qualifications and salaries of teachers)” ("Landmark Cases of the U.S. Supreme Court." Summary of the Decision | Www.streetlaw.org. Web. 08 Oct. 2017. Save to EasyBib) The same thing happened in the Plessy case. The majority argued that because everything abiotic the cars were the same that the only person in the wrong, because he violated a law, was Plessy. Despite the conditions of the case, they both changed the way the government, and people saw race as well as laws regarding