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U.S. Government and Economics

Homework assignments are in bold.

Unit IV. Power to the People

C. Civil Rights

Assignment 1: (Due 2/28) READ in We the People, Chap. 5, from “Civil War Amendments” to “Civil Rights Acts.” ANSWER the following questions in your own words:

    • How did African Americans gain more rights during Reconstruction?  Why didn’t these gains last?

 

 

 

  • What was the reasoning in the Plessy decision?

 

 

 

  • Define: Jim Crow

 

 

 

  • Characterize the approach of the NAACP in the Civil Rights struggle.

 

 

 

 

  • How and why did the federal government’s attitude towards Civil Rights change following WWII?

 

 

 

 

  • What was the reasoning in the Brown decision?  How did it differ from the assumptions in Plessy?

 

 

  • Explain the concept of “strict scrutiny.”

 

 

 

8. Why didn’t the Brown decision have a more immediate effect in desegregating schools?

 

 

 

Assignment 2: (Due 3/1) Read in We the People, Chap. 5, from “Civil Rights Acts” to “Universality of Civil Rights.”  ANSWER the following questions in your own words:

  • Explain the following sections of the 1964 Civil Rights Act:
    • Title IV
 
 
 
      • Title VI
 
 
 
      • Title VII

 

  • What is busing?  Why was it implemented?  Why was it controversial?

 

 

 

  • How did the federal government act to secure voting rights for the disenfranchised in 1965?

 

 

Assignment 3: (Due 3/5) READ in We the People Chap. 5, “Universality of Civil Rights” to “Affirmative Action.” ANSWER the following questions in your own words.  To be collected (20 points)

  • Was gender discrimination treated the same way by the courts as racial discrimination?  Explain.
  • Identify and give the significance: Title XI
  • What is sexual harassment?  How does it differ from sexual discrimination?
  • What was the significance of the decision in Lau v. Nichols?  How is this related to civil rights?
  • How have civil rights expanded beyond issues of race and gender?  Give examples?  Do you think this expansion is appropriate?

 

Assignment 4: (Due 3/7) READ in We the People Chap. 5 “Affirmative Action” to the end of the chapter.  ANSWER the following in your own words:

  • What is affirmative action?  What was the original reasoning behind it?

 

 

 

  • Give 2 examples of affirmative action policies.

 

 

 

  • Explain the significance of the following cases:
    • Bakke
 
 
      • Wards Cove v. Antaro
 
 
 
      • Adarand Constructors v. Pena
 
 
 
      • Hopwood
 

 

      • Gratz v. Bollinger
 
 
 
      • Grutter v. Bollinger

Assignment 5: (Due 3/9) Write 1-2 pages on the following question: Does legal recognition of race always amount to racial discrimination?  Explain using examples from readings, films, and discussions. To be collected. 30 points.