The difference between Civil rights and Civil liberties
The reason we had significant civil rights movements
The roots of American Civil Rights
Equality
The basis of the creation of America was the notion that all men are created equal
Our constitution did not focus on equality before the Civil War
Early America still focused on the hierarchy
African Americans before Civil War
Enslaved and seen as property
It was entirely legal to kill enslaved people as the Court did not view enslaved people as U.S. citizens
Only three states viewed enslaved people as people - Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont
Women before Civil War
Subjected to coverture - married women were not legal entities
Under complete legal control by the husband
Did not have the ability to own properties, sign contracts, or have any citizenship rights, such as voting
Women would make about half of what men did while working - Mostly in teaching jobs
Groups Fighting for Civil rights
American Anti-Slavery Society
1838 Seneca Fall Convention
Equality and Civil rights were the base and focus of the Civil War
Reconstruction Amendments
When created, the federal government set the precedent to be the defender of civil rights and equality
Protecting civil rights from the states
14th Amendment
Privileges and Immunities clause
Equal protection clause - different people cannot be treated differently by the law
15th amendment
States cannot take away voting rights
Reconstruction ended in 1877, the federal government gave up on defending the rights of Black people in southern states
Women hoped the movement would help the women's rights movement - it did not, the women's proper movement fractured off after the loss of strides in the movement
