Home > << BACK TO Landmark Library > Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

Learning Objectives

  • Define “civil disobedience” 
  • Identify and analyze interpretations of the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause 
  • Identify the main arguments put forth in the case 
  • Describe the rationale behind the Supreme Court’s decision 
  • Identify the impact of the Supreme Court decision on racial discrimination 

Overview

This mini-lesson covers the basics of the Supreme Court’s decision that it was constitutional to keep Black and White people segregated as long as the accommodations for each race were “equal.”  Students learn about the concept of “separate but equal,” the reasons the Court found the doctrine acceptable, and the fact that the doctrine was not abolished until the Civil Rights Act of 1964. 

Access engaging resources with an iCivics account!

Create your free iCivics account and discover standards aligned lessons and games that meet all of your instructional needs. Our nonpartisan classroom resources engage students with complex concepts in ways they can understand and relate to.

Tags

Pedagogy Tags
History Connection
Mini-Lesson
Tech Options
No Tech Required
Web browser
Integrations
Kami
Nearpod
PDF
State standards icon

View state standards alignment

Search State Standards

Use the Scope & Sequence to help you plan your iCivics classroom experience!

Whether you enjoy finding opportunities within a well-structured sequence of resources or prefer looking around for pieces and bits that can be jigsawed together, our Scope & Sequence documents are a perfect reference point for planning. Scope & Sequence documents are available for elementary, middle, and high school classrooms and list all of our resources in one place.

View the Scope & Sequence