Read the excerpt from the Fourteenth…

History Questions

Read the excerpt from the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside.” How does this excerpt relate to the principles of Brown v. Board of Education? A. The Brown case addresses whether the plaintiffs have been afforded the full rights of citizenship. B. The Brown case addresses whether the plaintiffs are informed of their rights as U.S. citizens. C. The Brown case addresses whether the quality of education can legally vary from state to state. D. The Brown case addresses whether matters of education are under the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction.

Answer

The correct answer is C. Brown v. Board of Education, a pivotal Supreme Court ruling from 1954, examined the legality of the “separate but equal” doctrine established in the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson case. This principle permitted the existence of segregated educational institutions, provided that the facilities were deemed equal. However, it was believed that this segregation undermined the rights of US citizens as outlined in the Reconstruction Amendments of the Constitution. While some Southern states enforced segregation in schools, others opted for integration. Ultimately, the Court rejected the “separate but equal” doctrine by recognizing that segregated schools inherently provided an inferior education. The ruling invalidated the prior Supreme Court decision, declaring such segregation unconstitutional and setting a timeline for schools across the country to eliminate this practice. Thus, the Supreme Court acknowledged that states with segregated schools offered an inferior educational experience.

Scroll to Top