Understanding Plessy v. Ferguson

What was the legal basis of Homer Plessy's challenge in Plessy v. Ferguson?

• Segregation in schools

• Segregation on railroad passenger cars

• Voting rights discrimination

• Employment discrimination

According to the majority opinion, what was the primary purpose of the Fourteenth Amendment?

• To abolish distinctions based on color

• To enforce social equality

• To ensure political equality

• To establish equal educational opportunities

Who authored the majority opinion in the Plessy v. Ferguson case?

• John Marshall Harlan

• Thurgood Marshall

• Henry B. Brown

• Homer Plessy

What doctrine did the Supreme Court uphold in its decision on Plessy v. Ferguson?

• Separate but equal

• Integration

• Racial purity

• Civil disobedience

According to Justice Harlan's dissent, what did he argue about the Constitution?

• It supports segregation

• It is color-blind

• It enforces social inequalities

• It favors the dominant race

What historical case did Justice Harlan reference in his dissent to argue against the majority's decision?

• Dred Scott v. Sandford

• Brown v. Board of Education

• Marbury v. Madison

• McCulloch v. Maryland

What year was the Plessy v. Ferguson decision made?

• 1865

• 1896

• 1954

• 1964

• What did the majority opinion argue regarding the facilities provided under segregation laws?

• They were rarely equal

• They were always equal

• They enforced political equality

• They abolished color distinctions

According to Justice Harlan, what did state legislation based on race lead to?

• Civil rights advancements

• Social harmony

• Servitude and degradation

• Economic prosperity

What was the long-term impact of the Plessy v. Ferguson decision on American society?

• It led to the immediate end of segregation

• It reinforced segregation laws for decades

• It was overturned within a year

• It had no significant impact