Key Figures and Legal Landmarks in American History

Posted on May 8, 2024 in History

  • CharlottePerkinsGilman: AmericanFeminist,Writer, &SociologistKnown4HerWorksLike “dYellowWallpaper,”WhichCritiquesDTreatmentOfWomen’sMentalHealthInD19thCentury.

  • EugeneV.Debs:AmericanSocialist,UnionLeader, &5-timePresidentialCandid84DSocialistPartyOfAmerica.HeWasAProminentFigureInDLaborMovement &AVocalCriticOfCapitalism.

  • PlessyV.Ferguson (1896): SupremeCourtCaseDatUpheldDConstitutionalityOfRacialSegreg8onLaws4PublicFacilitiesAsLongAsDFacilitiesWereEqualInQuality.

  • MeyerV.Nebraska (1923):SupremeCourtCaseDatStruckDownANebraskaLawProhibitingDTeachingOf4ignLanguagesInSchools,AffirmingDRightsOfParents2Educ8TheirChildrenAsDeyCFit.

  • MeaningOfCivilLibertiesVersusCivilRights:CivilLibertiesRefer2IndividualFreedomsProtectedByLaw,SuchAsFreedomOfSpeech &Religion,WhileCivilRightsPertain2DRightsOfIndividuals2ReceiveEqualTreatment &ProtectionUnderDLaw,ParticularlyInRegards2MinorityGroups.

  • W.E.B.DuBois’sViews/positionAsCivilRightsActivist:DuBoisWasAProminentCivilRightsActivistWhoAdvoc8d4FullPolitical,Civil, &SocialRights4AfricanAmericans.HeCo-foundedDNAACP &WasALeadingVoiceAgainstRacialSegreg8on &Discrimin8on.

  • BookerT.Washing2n’sViews/positionAsLeaderOfBlackCommunitiesInDAmericanSouthPost-Reconstruction:Washing2nWasAnInfluentialAfricanAmericanLeaderWhoAdvoc8d4Voc8onalEduc8on &EconomicSelf-reliance4AfricanAmericans.HisApproachEmphasizedGradualProgress &Cooper8onWithWhites,WhichDrewCriticismFrmMoreRadicalActivistsLikeDuBois.

  • dRiseInLynchingPost-Reconstruction: Lynching,ParticularlyOfAfricanAmericans,IncreasedInDL819th &Early20thCenturies,FueledByRacism,WhiteSupremacy, &DFailureOfDLegalSystem2ProtectBlackCitizens.

  • dImportanceOfD14thAmendment2CivilRightsMovements: d14thAmendment,R8fiedIn1868,GrantedCitizenship &EqualProtectionUnderDLaw2OlPersonsBornOrNaturalizedInDUnitedSt8s,LayingDFound8on4CivilRightsLegisl8on &CourtDecisionsAimed @EndingRacialDiscrimin8on.

  • MaryChurchTerrellAsSuffragist:TerrellWasAProminentAfricanAmericanSuffragist &CivilRightsActivistWhoFought4Women’sRight2Vote &4RacialEquality.SheCo-foundedDN8onalAssoci8onOfColoredWomen &WasAFoundingMemberOfDNAACP.

  • Violence &Intimid8onByTerroristGroupsLikeDKuKluxKlan:DKuKluxKlan,AWhiteSupremacistTerroristOrganiz8on,UsedViolence,Intimid8on, &Lynching2En4ceRacialSegreg8on &SuppressAfricanAmericanPolitical &SocialAdvancement.

  • Women &DRight2Vote:DWomen’sSuffrageMovementFought4Women’sRight2Vote,Culmin8ngInDPassageOfD19thAmendmentIn1920


  • WomenProtesting:WomenHaveBeenInvolvedInVarious4msOfProtestThroughoutHis2ry,IncludingSuffrageMarches,LaborStrikes, &CivilRightsDemonstr8ons.

  • WhoWasLucySt1?AlicePaul?MaudeSampson?ConceptOf “#notallwomen”:LucySt1WasAnEarlyAmericanSuffragist &Abolitionist.AlicePaulWasALeaderOfDWomen’sSuffrageMovement &FounderOfDN8onalWoman’sParty.MaudeSampsonWasAnAfricanAmericanSuffragist &Clubwoman.DConceptOf “#notallwomen”Refers2DRecognitionDatWomen’sExperiences &PerspectivesRDiverse &DatNtOlWomenShareDSameInterestsOrGoals.

  • EspionageAct1917 &SeditionAct1918:TheseLawsWerePassedDuringWorldWarI2SuppressDissent &Anti-warActivities.DeyImposedSeverePenalties4Any1FoundGuiltyOfInterferingWithMilitaryRecruitmentOrExpressingOpinionsDeemedDisloyalOrSeditious.

  • Elements &SymbolismFrmAaronDavis’sMuralFrmSchomburgCenter:AaronDouglasWasAnAfricanAmericanArtist &AProminentFigureOfDHarlemRenaissance.HisMuralsOftenDepictedThemesOfAfricanAmericanHis2ry,Culture, &Struggle,Incorpor8ngElementsOfAfricanArt &Symbolism.

  • JusticeJamesC.McReynolds,MajorityOpinion,MeyerV.Nebraska (1923):JusticeMcReynoldsDeliveredDMajorityOpinionInMeyerV.Nebraska,AffirmingDRightsOfParents2Educ8TheirChildrenAsDeyCFit &StrikingDownANebraskaLawDatProhibitedDTeachingOf4ignLanguagesInSchools.

  • JusticeLouisBrandeis,DissentingOpinion,OlmsteadV.UnitedSt8s (1928):JusticeBrandeisAuthoredADissentingOpinionInOlmsteadV.UnitedSt8s,ArguingAgainstDUseOfWarrantlessWiretapsByLawEn4cement,EmphasizingDImportanceOfPrivacyRightsProtectedByD4thAmendment.

  • Langs2nHughes:ProminentAfricanAmericanPoet,Playwright, &LeaderOfDHarlemRenaissance,Known4HisWorksCelebr8ngDExperiences &CultureOfAfricanAmericans.

  • Elements &SymbolismFrmAaronDavis’sMuralFrmSchomburgCenter (HarlemRenaissanceExhibit):AaronDouglas’sMural @DSchomburgCenter4ResearchInBlackCultureDepictedThemesOfAfricanAmericanHis2ry,Culture, &Struggle,Incorpor8ngSymbolsSuchAsAfricanMasks,MusicalInstruments, &ImagesOfResilience &Resistance.

  • EugeneVic2rDebs:ProminentAmericanLaborLeader,Socialist, &PoliticalActivist.HeAdvoc8d4Workers’Rights,Socialism, &WasA5-timePresidentialCandid84DSocialistPartyOfAmerica.

  • PlessyV.Ferguson (1896):DisLandmarkSupremeCourtCaseUpheldDConstitutionalityOfRacialSegreg8onLawsUnderD “separ8ButEqual”Doctrine,AllowingSt8s2En4ceSegreg8onInPublicFacilities.ItRein4cedRacialDiscrimin8on &Segreg8onInDUnitedSt8sTilItWasOverturnedBy “BrownV.BoardOfEduc8on”In1954.

  • ?IsProgressivism:ARe4mMovementDatAims2AddressSocial,Economic, &PoliticalProblemsCausedByIndustrializ8on &Urbaniz8onThruGovernmentIntervention &SocialActivism.

  • ExamplesOfMuckraking:Investig8veJournalismDatExposedCorruption,AbusesOfPower, &SocialInjustices,SuchAsUp2nSinclair’s “dJungle” &IdaTarbell’s “dHis2ryOfDStandardOilCompany.”

  • y?WasScientificManagementImportant:ScientificManagement,Pi1eredByFrederickWinslowTaylor,Aimed2ImproveEfficiency &ProductivityInDWorkplaceThruSystem8cAnalysis &Optimiz8onOfWorkProcesses.

  • ?PromptedDBirth-controlMovement:ConcernsAboutOverpopul8on,Women’sHealth, &ReproductiveRightsPromptedDBirth-controlMovement,LedByActivistsLikeMargaretSanger.

  • CarlosMontezuma &DSocietyOfAmericanIndians:MontezumaWasAN8veAmericanActivistWhoCo-foundedDSocietyOfAmericanIndians,Advoc8ng4N8veAmericanRights &Citizenship.

  • MaryChurchTerrell:MaryChurchTerrellWasAnAfricanAmericanSuffragist,CivilRightsActivist, &Co-founderOfDN8onalAssoci8onOfColoredWomen.SheAdvoc8d4Women’sSuffrage,RacialEquality, &SocialJustice.

  • Initi8ve/Referendum/Recall: TheseRMechanismsOfDirectDemocracyDatAllowCitizens2Particip8DirectlyInDLegisl8veProcess:


    • Initi8ve:CitizensCanProposeNewLawsOrAmendments2ExistingLawsByCollectingACertain #OfSignaturesOnAPetition.

    • Referendum:CitizensCanVoteDirectlyOnProposedLawsOrAmendmentsPassedByDLegislature.

    • Recall:CitizensCanRemoveElectedOfficialsFrmOfficeThruASpecialElectionBe4TheirTermIsUp.

  • 17thAmendment: d17thAmendment2DU.S.Constitution,R8fiedIn1913,EstablishedDDirectElectionOfU.S.Sena2rsByPopularVote.Prior2DisAmendment,Sena2rsWereChosenBySt8Legislatures.

  • JaneAddams &DIdeaOfASettlementHouse:JaneAddamsWasASocialRe4mer,Activist, &DFounderOfHullHouse,AFamousSettlementHouseInChicago.SettlementHousesWereCommunityCentersDatProvidedSocialServices,Educ8on, &Assistance2Immigrants &DUrbanPoor,Aiming2Allevi8Poverty &ImproveSocialConditions.

  • 16thAmendment:D16thAmendment2DU.S.Constitution,R8fiedIn1913,AuthorizedCongress2LevyAnIncomeTaxOnIndividuals &Corpor8ons.ItProvidedAStableSourceOfRevenue4DFederalGovernment &EnabledDImplement8onOfProgressiveTax8onPolicies.

  • ?DidD18thAmendmentAccomplish:D18thAmendment,R8fiedIn1919,ProhibitedDManufacture,Sale, &Transport8onOfAlcoholicBeveragesInDUnitedSt8s,Leading2DEraOfProhibition.

  • ?DidD19thAmendmentAccomplish:D19thAmendment,R8fiedIn1920,GrantedWomenDRight2Vote,MarkingASignificantVic2ry4DWomen’sSuffrageMovement.

  • ConceptOf “notallwomen” &DLadyGagaMusicVideoAboutDWomen’sSuffrageMovement:DConceptOf “notallwomen”AcknowledgesDatWomen’sExperiences &IdentitiesRDiverse &Intersectional,HighlightingDNid4Inclusivity &IntersectionalFeminismInSocialMovements.

  • Gr8Migration:DMassMovementOfAfricanAmericansFrmDRuralSouth2UrbanAreasInDNorth &WestDuringDEarly20thCentury,SeekingEconomicOpportunities,EscapeFrmJimCrowSegreg8on, &FreedomFrmRacialViolence.

  • SelectiveServiceAct:Legisl8onPassedIn1917AuthorizingDConscriptionOfMenIn2DMilitaryDuringWorldWarI,ExpandingDArmed4ces &EnsuringASteadySupplyOfSoldiers4DWarEf4t.

  • Eugenics:PseudoscientificBeliefInDSelectiveBreedingOfHumans2ImproveDGeneticQualityOfDPopul8on,OftenUsed2JustifyRacist &Discrimina2ryPoliciesTargetingMarginalizedGroups.

  • EqualRightsAmendment:ProposedAmendment2DU.S.ConstitutionDatAimed2GuaranteeEqualRightsRegardlessOfSex,ButWasNtR8fied.

  • EconomyOfD1920s:D1920sSawSignificantEconomicGrowth &TechnologicalInnov8on,ButAlsoWideningEconomicInequality &DEventualCollapseOfDS2ckMarketIn1929,Leading2DGr8Depression.

  • Flappers:YoungWomenOfD1920sWhoChallengedTraditionalGenderNormsThruTheirFashion,Behavior, &Lifestyle.

  • AmericanCivilLibertiesUnion (ACLU):Organiz8onFoundedIn19202Defend &PreserveDIndividualRights &LibertiesGuaranteedByDConstitution &LawsOfDUnitedSt8s.

  • Fundamentalism &DScopesTrial:FundamentalismRefers2AReligiousMovementCharacterizedByAStrictAdherence2TraditionalReligiousBeliefs.DScopesTrial,AlsoKnownAsD “MonkeyTrial,”WasALegalBattleOverDTeachingOfEvolutionInPublicSchoolsInTennessee,HighlightingDTensionsBtwnScience &ReligionInAmericanSociety.

  • IndianCitizenshipAct:Legisl8onPassedIn1924GrantingCitizenship2OlN8veAmericansBornInDUnitedSt8s.

  • HarlemRenaissance

    Cultural,Social, &ArtisticExplosionDat2okPlaceInHarlem,NewYork,DuringD1920s,ShowcasingDCre8vity &AchievementsOfAfricanAmericanArtists,Writers,Musicians, &Intellectuals.