Question 1

When one person has opportunities, such as receiving a job referral from a well-connected family member or inheritance money with which to start a business, while another does not, a __________ exists between those two people.

Accepted Answer

A disparity exists between two people when one has opportunities or advantages that the other does not, such as receiving a job referral from a well-connected family member or inheritance money to start a business.

Question 2

Which of the following describes equality of condition?

Accepted Answer

Equality of condition refers to a state where individuals have equal status in terms of economic, social, and political rights and opportunities, including access to essential services like housing, health care, and education. This concept goes beyond mere formal equality to ensure substantive equality in various aspects of life.

Question 3

Which of the following situations would be an example of equality of condition?

Accepted Answer

Equality of condition refers to efforts to ensure that everyone has the same starting point or opportunities. Government-financed opportunities for students to attend universities aim to level the playing field by providing all students, regardless of their economic background, the chance to pursue higher education.

Question 4

Which of the following policies would most likely be adopted in a country favoring equality of condition over equality of opportunity?

Accepted Answer

Universal health care is a policy that aims to provide equal access to healthcare services for all citizens, regardless of their income or social status. This aligns with the principle of equality of condition, which seeks to minimize disparities in living conditions among individuals.

Question 5

Which of the following accurately describes political equality?

Accepted Answer

Political equality refers to the equal rights of all citizens to participate in the political process, including voting, running for office, and enjoying civil liberties.

Question 6

Which of the following accurately describes equality of opportunity?

Accepted Answer

Equality of opportunity focuses on ensuring that all individuals have the same chances to participate in aspects of public and economic life, without necessarily guaranteeing equal outcomes.

Question 7

To what extent were the civil rights of African Americans protected after the Civil War?

Accepted Answer

Attempts to protect the civil rights of African Americans after the Civil War, such as the Reconstruction Amendments (13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments) and the Civil Rights Acts, faced significant resistance and were undermined by Jim Crow laws, the rise of the Ku Klux Klan, and other forms of systemic racism, leading to a long period where these rights were not effectively protected.

Question 8

What was the basis for the Supreme Court's decision in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), which upheld the constitutionality of a state law requiring segregated railroad facilities?

Accepted Answer

The Supreme Court's decision in Plessy v. Ferguson was based on the doctrine of "separate but equal," which held that segregation did not in itself constitute unlawful discrimination, as long as the separate facilities for the different races were equal.

Question 9

What was the Supreme Court's rationale in Bradwell v. Illinois (1873) for upholding an Illinois statute that prohibited women from becoming licensed attorneys in that state?

Accepted Answer

The Supreme Court's rationale in Bradwell v. Illinois was based on the perceived "timid and delicate nature" of women, which the Court believed made them unfit for the legal profession and other public occupations. This decision reflected the prevailing gender norms and biases of the time.

Question 10

How might the Supreme Court decisions in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), involving segregated railroad facilities, and in Bradwell v. Illinois (1873), involving the admission of women to the law profession, be seen as similar in retrospect?

Accepted Answer

Both Plessy v. Ferguson and Bradwell v. Illinois are seen as missed opportunities because they upheld discriminatory practices—Plessy with racial segregation and Bradwell by denying women the right to practice law, thus failing to advance civil rights.

Question 11

Brown v. Board of Education overturned __________.

Accepted Answer

Brown v. Board of Education (1954) famously overturned Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), which had established the "separate but equal" doctrine, allowing racial segregation.

Question 12

Jim Crow laws required __________ of African Americans and Whites.

Accepted Answer

Jim Crow laws were state and local statutes that legalized racial segregation, specifically requiring the separation of African Americans and Whites in public places and facilities.

Question 13

Which Chief Justice led the Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education and took a leading role in many other decisions expanding civil liberties and promoting civil rights?

Accepted Answer

Earl Warren was the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court during the landmark case Brown v. Board of Education in 1954, which declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students to be unconstitutional, thereby playing a crucial role in the history of civil rights in the United States.

Question 14

Which of the following accurately describes why, when the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was formed, the organization chose to use the court pathway instead of other pathways to advance its goals?

Accepted Answer

The NAACP chose the court pathway primarily due to the lack of responsiveness from elected officials and the clear evidence of racial discrimination. This pathway was seen as a viable option to challenge and change discriminatory laws and practices when other avenues were blocked or ineffective.

Question 15

Which of the following would constitute an affirmative action policy designed to help the members of a particular group overcome discrimination?

Accepted Answer

Affirmative action policies are designed to address historical and systemic inequalities by providing preferential treatment to members of disadvantaged groups. A college admissions policy that gives preferential treatment to members of a particular group directly aims to increase their representation and opportunities, aligning with the goals of affirmative action.

Question 16

Which of the following laws would be the most likely to draw strict scrutiny from the Supreme Court when determining its constitutionality?

Accepted Answer

Strict scrutiny is the highest standard of review which the Supreme Court uses to evaluate the constitutionality of laws, especially those that affect fundamental rights or involve suspect classifications, such as race. Choice D, involving racial criteria for government contracts, directly implicates race, a suspect classification, and thus would most likely draw strict scrutiny to ensure it does not violate equal protection principles under the Constitution.

Question 17

What was the status of affirmative action in college admissions after the Supreme Court decisions in Bakke v. University of California Board of Regents (1978) and Grutter v. Bollinger (2003)?

Accepted Answer

The Supreme Court decisions in Bakke v. University of California Board of Regents (1978) and Grutter v. Bollinger (2003) established that affirmative action policies in college admissions that consider race as one of many factors are permissible, as long as they aim to advance diversity, which is considered a compelling interest by the government.

Question 18

How do the rational basis test and the intermediate scrutiny test differ?

Accepted Answer

The rational basis test is the most lenient form of judicial review, requiring only that a law be rationally related to a legitimate government interest. The intermediate scrutiny test, applied to certain classifications like gender, requires the government to show that the law furthers an important government interest in a way that is substantially related to that interest. This makes it harder for the government to justify a law under intermediate scrutiny than under the rational basis test.

Question 19

Which of the following characteristics of an affirmative action program for public university admissions would pass constitutional muster?

Accepted Answer

The Supreme Court has ruled that race can be considered as one of many factors in college admissions in a holistic review process. This approach allows universities to pursue diversity without relying on quotas or point systems, which have been deemed unconstitutional.

Question 20

Which of the following helped to mobilize Americans in the 1950s to fight discrimination against African Americans?

Accepted Answer

Emmett Till's murder in 1955 was a pivotal event that galvanized the African American community and many others across the United States to fight against racial discrimination and injustice. The brutal killing of the 14-year-old boy and the subsequent public outrage played a significant role in sparking the Civil Rights Movement.

Quiz 5: Civil Rights