PROJECT LEGAL

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PROJECT LEGAL
TIPS PROGRAM
DR. JAMES CARROLL, DIRECTOR
MR. HOWARD KRIEGER,BA,MS., STAFF DEVELOPER
LOIS M. WILLIAMS SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER, IS166
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PLESSY VS.
FERGUSON (1896)
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• TASK
• 1. Reading
• Recalling Information
• Writing

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OBJECTIVES 1.The students will become more
familiar with the Constitution of the United
States. 2.The students will be able to explain
how the 10th and 14th Amendments form the basis
for the Plessy vs. Ferguson case. 3. They will
also be able to explain the causes, effects and
consequences of racism .
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• DOES THE OPERATION OF SEGREGATED TRAINS
  BASED ON LOUISIANA LAW VIOLATE PLESSYS RIGHT TO
  EQUAL PROTECTION?

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• IMPORTANT TERMS.
• SEGREGATE
• JIM CROW LAWS
• UNCONSTITUTIONAL
• STATE COURT
• SEPARATE BUT EQUAL
• SUPREME COURT
• THE 10TH AMENDMENT
• THE 14TH AMENDMENT

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CAREFULLY READ THE FOLLOWING CARTOON.
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(No Transcript)
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ANSWER THE QUESTIONS 1. WHERE IN THE
UNITED STATES WAS PLESSY? 2. WHY WAS PLESSY
ARRESTED? 3. WHAT WAS THE YEAR OF THIS EVENT?
4. WHAT EXPLANATION WAS GIVEN TO PLESSY ABOUT
THE LOUISIANA STATE LAW FOR RIDING IN
RAILROAD CARS? 5. HOW DID THIS EVENT MAKE PLESSY
FEEL? 6. WHAT WAS THE FIRST ACTION TAKEN BY
PLESSY? EXPLAIN THE OUTCOME. 7. WHAT LATER
ACTION WAS TAKEN BY PLESSY? 8. WHAT WAS THE
OUTCOME OF THE SUPREME COURT
CASE?
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Where is the state of Louisiana?
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MEDIAL SUMMARY 1. WHY IS THIS CASE CALLED
PLESSY VS. FERGUSON? 2. HOW COULD A
STATE, IN 1896, FORCE ITS CITIZENS TO RIDE IN
SEGREGATED RAILROAD CARS? 3. DOES SEGREGATION OF
PASSENGERS IN RAILROAD CARS DEPRIVE
INDIVIDUALS OF EQUAL PROTECTION OF THE LAW? 4.
WHAT AMENDMENT SERVES AS A LEGAL BASIS FOR
PLESSYS ACTIONS AND VALUES? 5. WHAT AMENDMENT
IS THE SOURCE OF THE STATES AUTHORITY TO PASS
AND ENFORCE LAWS AFFECTING TRANSPORTATION?

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• FINAL SUMMARY
• WAS THE LOUISIANA LAW THAT CONVICTED PLESSY
  UNCONSTITUTIONAL?
• WAS THE SUPREME COURT RULING UNCONSTITUTIONAL?
• 3.WHAT IMPORTANT FACTORS CONTRIBUTED TO THE
  RULING IN THIS CASE?
• 4. WHAT EFFECTS DID THE OUTCOME OF THIS CASE HAVE
  ON THE AFRICAN AMERICAN POPULATION, IN THE
  U.S., DURING THIS TIME PERIOD IN OUR HISTORY?
• 5.WHAT FURTHER ACTIONS COULD PLESSY HAVE TAKEN
  THEN?
• 6. COULD A CASE SIMILAR TO THIS ONE BE TRIED IN
  THE
• UNITED STATES TODAY, WITH THE SAME OUTCOME?

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FOLLOW UP ACTIVITIES IMAGINE THAT YOU ARE LIVING
IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA. THE YEAR IS 1896.
WRITE A LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR REQUESTING A
CHANGE IN THE TRANSPORTATION LAW THAT SEGREGATE
CITIZENS.EXPLAIN WHY THIS CHANGE WOULD BE AN
IMPORTANT ONE.
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LEARNING STANDARDS FOR SOCIAL STUDIES (INTERMEDIA
TE SCHOOL) Standard 5 Civics, Citizenship, and
Government Section one is evident in this lesson
when students analyze the sources of a nations
values as embodied in its constitution, statutes,
and important court cases such as Plessy v.
Ferguson. Important areas of section 2 in
Standard 5 is also evident, for example, when
students analyze key Supreme Court cases to
determine how they embody constitutional values
apply these values to real life situations.
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Learning Standard 5 also allow students to
become familiar with the 10th and 14th Amendments
to the U.S. Constitution. The follow up activity
in this lesson directs students to produce a
persuasive written piece. This assignment
incorporates English Language Arts Middle School
Standard E2E E1D is also evident. This
demonstrates familiarity with a variety of public
documents.
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NOTES Plessy V. Ferguson
was a landmark decision of the Supreme Court of
the United States concerning racial segregation.
In this 1896 ruling, the court established the
policy of separate but equal public facilities
for blacks and whites. The decision formed the
basis of widespread segregation in the South for
over 50 years.

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The case began when Homer A. Plessy challenged
a Louisiana law that required separate but equal
facilities for blacks and whites in railroad
cars. John H. ferguson, a criminal district court
judge, overruled Plessys plea that the law was
unconstitutional. Plessy then brought action
against Ferguson. Plessy argued that the law
violated a clause in the 14th Amendment to the
U.S. Constitution that guaranteed citizens equal
protection of the laws. The Supreme Court ruled
that the amendment did not guarantee the social
equality of all races. The court upheld the
Louisiana law. Segregation of races in the South
continued, though facilities for blacks were
nearly always inferior to those of whites.
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• RUBRICS
• In cooperative learning groups, students will
  work on answering questions taken from the
  lesson.
• Each group will develop a persuasive essay
  explaining the effects and consequences of racial
  segregation.
• Finally, one student from each group will do the
  oral presentation.

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IN CONCLUSION , I WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND MY SINCERE
THANKS TO CLASS 7-466 FOR THEIR
COOPERATION. THANKS TO DR. JAMES CARROLL AND OUR
OUTSTANDING STAFF DEVELOPER, MR. HOWARD KRIEGER,
BA.,MS. A VERY SPECIAL THANKS TO MR. NELSON
ABREU, PRINCIPAL OF I.S. 166 BX., NY. AND MR.JACK
PEREL, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL.
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THE END!