Cornell University
Cornell University: Law School: Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)
Provides a syllabus for the landmark Supreme Court case of Gideon v. Wainwright which held that state courts are required to provide counsel in criminal cases for defendants unable to afford their own attorneys or lawyers.
Illinois Institute of Technology
Regents of University of California v. Bakke (1978)
The U.S. Supreme Court case that allowed affirmative action to be a criteria for admission decisions in institutes of higher education.
Illinois Institute of Technology
The Oyez Project: De Jonge v. Oregon
An abstract on the 1937 De Jonge v. Oregon case.
Illinois Institute of Technology
Oyez: Everson v. Board of Education
Brief account of the Everson v. Board of Education Supreme Court case. Gives dates, facts, questions, and conclusion.
Stanford University
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Affirmative Action
Very thorough article on the history of affirmative action. Bibliography is included.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Radical Reconstruction
Read about the frustration the Radical Republicans in Congress had with the Reconstruction plans of Andrew Johnson. Find out what legislation they were able to pass over Johnson's veto, and how they attempted to protect emancipated...
PBS
Wnet: Thirteen: Supreme Court: Expanding Civil Rights: Brown v. Board of Education
This is a detailed overview of the landmark Supreme Court case of Brown v. Board of Education which held that the racial segregation of children in public schools violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The...
PBS
Wnet: Thirteen: Freedom: A History of Us: Forgetting the Constitution
Read the story of a young Japanese-American girl whose family was sent to an internment camp after Pearl Harbor.
Thomson Reuters
Find Law: u.s. Constitution: Fourteenth Amendment
Presents the Fourteenth Amendment - Rights Guaranteed Privileges and Immunities of Citizenship, Due Process and Equal Protection. Includes a lengthy list of annotations to the Amendment.
Thomson Reuters
Find Law: u.s. Supreme Court: In Re Gault (1967)
Full court transcript of 1967 U.S. Supreme Court case involving a juvenile, Gerald Gault.
Thomson Reuters
Find Law: u.s. Supreme Court: Gannett Co. V. De Pasquale (1979)
Complete Supreme Court opinion for Gannett Co. V. DePasquale.
Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
Gilder Lehrman Institute: The Reconstruction Amendments
[Free Registration/Login Required] An article that discusses the 13-15th amendments and their impact on social history.
PBS
Wnet: Thirteen: What Is Freedom?: Politics and Reconstruction [Pdf]
A lesson plan from the producers of the 16-episode PBS series "Freedom: A History of US" that guides students through an examination of the outcomes of the Civil War. Includes discussion prompts related to the effectiveness of...
Lectric Law Library
Lectric Law: Due Process
This resource presents a detailed description of the legal term "due process" with court cases cited.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Ap Us History: 1844 1877: Reconstruction: Life After Slavery
Discusses what life was like for African Americans who were freed from slavery after the Civil War. Includes questions for students.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Ap Us History: 1844 1877: Reconstruction: Black Codes
Discusses the Black Codes that white Southerners imposed on African Americans after the Civil War and the efforts by Republican politicians to protect their rights.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Ap Us History: 1844 1877: Reconstruction: The First Kkk
Explains how the Ku Klux Klan came into existence and how they terrorized African Americans as well as those who sympathized with them. The Klan would suppress the black vote so that Democrats had a better chance of winning an election...
Syracuse University
Syracuse University: Youth Due Process Gerald Gault
This site contains a description of the juvenile justice system, background on the case involving Gerald Gault, and learning exercises for teachers to use in class.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Reconstruction
A very good overview of Reconstruction in the South after the Civil War. Find the questions that needed to be answered about how to reincorporate the Confederate states, what rights freed blacks would have, and how terms of...
Lectric Law Library
'Lectric Law Library: Gideon v. Wainwright: Indigent's Right
Original text of the the 1963 Supreme Court decision that mandated legal representation for the poor.
South Carolina Educational Television
Know It All: Reconstruction Amendments
Fifth graders will complete research on one of the Reconstruction amendments then create a project demonstrating their knowledge of that particular amendment as if they are supporting that amendment during the era it was created. Their...
Then Again
Then Again: Web Chron: World History Chronology: The 14th Amendment Is Ratified
Read about the 14th Amendment and its impact on the lives of African Americans during Reconstruction and later.
Other
Historical Boys' Clothing: The American Civil War: Reconstruction
Outlines the major programs of the Reconstruction period after the Civil War, and the discrimination that African Americans faced, such as from the Black Codes and the Ku Klux Klan. Also discusses the amendments made to the Constitution...
Illinois Institute of Technology
Oyez Project: Richmond v. j.a. Croson Co. (1989)
This Supreme Court case concerns the concept of affirmative action. This site provides a brief description of the court case, contains a link to an audio file, and lists the justices who presided and how they voted.