Instructor Feedback Summary
Dear Cristian,
In your response to the assignment, you demonstrated interesting insight about your topic. You illustrated understanding of applicable and pertinent material and addressed the significant ideas and areas of the assignment. You developed upon the topic of the assignment with well-documented and supporting resources and/or statements. The similarity index of Turnitin.com showed matching text of 21%, and that is within the acceptable limit. The headings, (which you have), etc. are helpful. The references you listed are correctly formatted to meet the APA requirement. Your paper meets the number of page count requirement excluding the cover and reference pages.
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Did the student demonstrate understanding of the topic?,
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Were significant ideas and areas of the assignment addressed?,
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Was supporting evidence well-documented?,
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Is the similarity index within acceptable limits?,
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What improvements were suggested for the final submission?
Will suggest including table of contents (ToCs) when you submit the final paper since it will be more than 3 pages. It provides a gateway for your audience.
A good topic that has future implications, Cristian!
Civil Rights Legislation and Constitutional Foundations
Introduction
Civil rights legislation forms a cornerstone of American democracy, protecting citizens from discrimination and ensuring equal treatment under the law. This assignment focuses on the constitutional basis for civil rights laws and examines key amendments that have shaped the civil rights landscape in the United States. The goal is to explore how Congress derives its authority to enact such legislation and to highlight significant constitutional provisions that have supported civil rights movements, especially in the 20th and 21st centuries.
1. Constitutional Authority for Civil Rights Legislation
The U.S. Constitution grants Congress the power to enact civil rights laws primarily through the following provisions:
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Commerce Clause (Article I, Section 8, Clause 3): Grants Congress the authority to regulate interstate commerce. This clause was critical in passing civil rights laws like the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as discriminatory practices in public accommodations were shown to affect interstate commerce.
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Necessary and Proper Clause (Article I, Section 8, Clause 18): This clause enables Congress to make laws essential for carrying out its enumerated powers. Civil rights laws are often justified as necessary to enforce constitutional protections.
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Enforcement Clauses of Civil War Amendments: These include the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, all of which contain provisions explicitly empowering Congress to pass legislation to enforce the rights these amendments guarantee.
2. Key Constitutional Amendments Related to Civil Rights
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13th Amendment (1865): Abolishes slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime. This amendment was the foundation for later legislation prohibiting racial discrimination and exploitation.
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14th Amendment (1868): Contains the Equal Protection Clause and the Due Process Clause. It prevents states from denying any person within their jurisdiction equal protection of the laws. This amendment has been instrumental in court cases involving discrimination and segregation.
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15th Amendment (1870): Prohibits the federal and state governments from denying a citizen the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.
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19th Amendment (1920): Grants women the right to vote, broadening civil rights protections beyond racial lines.
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24th Amendment (1964): Abolishes the poll tax in federal elections, removing an economic barrier to voting.
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26th Amendment (1971): Lowers the voting age to 18, in response to civil rights activism during the Vietnam War era.
3. Effective Communication of Civil Rights Legislation
To ensure broad understanding and engagement, civil rights information should be communicated in a format that aligns with the audience’s preferences. A PowerPoint presentation, for example, could combine visual elements with concise bullet points. An infographic might present timelines and key court cases like Brown v. Board of Education (1954) or Loving v. Virginia (1967). For this assignment, a well-structured written document