Florida Civic Literacy Practice Exam

Which case impacted the interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment?

1. Roe v. Wade

2. Brown v. Board of Education

3. Plessy v. Ferguson

4. Dred Scott v. Sandford

The correct answer is: Brown v. Board of Education

The case that significantly impacted the interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment is Brown v. Board of Education. This landmark Supreme Court decision, issued in 1954, addressed racial segregation in public schools. The Court ruled that racial segregation violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The ruling fundamentally altered the legal landscape regarding civil rights and set a precedent that segregation in any form was inherently unequal, thereby dismantling the doctrine established in Plessy v. Ferguson, which upheld state-sponsored segregation under the "separate but equal" doctrine. Brown v. Board of Education is crucial not only for its immediate effects on educational policies and civil rights in American society but also for how it expanded the interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment to promote equality and challenge systemic discrimination. This case positioned the Fourteenth Amendment as a critical tool in the fight for civil rights, signifying a shift toward greater scrutiny of laws that create disparities among citizens based on race. This impact resonates through subsequent civil rights legislation and decisions, reinforcing the assurance of equality under the law for all individuals.