Which sentences describe the Brown v. Board of Education decision? …

History Questions

Which sentences describe the Brown v. Board of Education decision? Check all of the boxes that apply. The court came to a unanimous decision. The court extended the concept of “separate but equal.” The court ruled that segregated schools deprived people of equal protection of the laws. The court found that segregation was unconstitutional. The court ruled that the Fifteenth Amendment had been violated.

Short Answer

The Supreme Court’s unanimous 9-0 decision in Brown vs. Board ruled that segregated schools violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment, declaring segregation unconstitutional. This landmark ruling emphasized the need for equality in education, rejecting the flawed doctrine of “separate but equal” and setting the stage for school integration in the United States.

Step-by-Step Solution

Step 1: Unanimous Decision

The Supreme Court reached a unanimous decision in the Brown vs. Board case, with all justices voting in favor of the plaintiffs. This means they agreed completely that the situation of segregation was unjust. The final vote count was 9-0, which indicates a strong consensus among the justices.

Step 2: Violation of Equal Protection

The court ruled that segregated schools violated the principle of equal protection under the laws. According to the justices, the longstanding doctrine of “separate but equal” contradicted the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment, which guarantees that all citizens receive equal treatment regardless of race. This ruling emphasized the necessity for equality in educational opportunities.

Step 3: Segregation Declared Unconstitutional

The court ultimately found that segregation itself was unconstitutional. The justices concluded that the doctrine of “separate but equal” was fundamentally flawed, asserting that such facilities were inherently unequal. This landmark decision paved the way for the integration of schools across America and reinforced the legal standpoint against racial segregation.

Related Concepts

Unanimous Decision

Defining a situation where all members of a group are in complete agreement, in this case referring to the supreme court justices’ vote of 9-0

Equal Protection Clause

A provision of the 14th amendment that mandates no state shall deny any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws, ensuring equal treatment for all citizens

“Separate But Equal”

A legal doctrine that justified racial segregation, asserting that segregated facilities for different races could be considered equal, which was ultimately deemed unconstitutional by the supreme court.

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