Which of the following best analyzes the ruling Plessy v. Ferguson had on individual freedoms and equal protections?
A. Plessy v. Ferguson established the separate but equal doctrine that segregated Black Americans in public spaces.
B. Plessy v. Ferguson ended segregation between White and Black Americans with the separate but equal doctrine.
C. Plessy v. Ferguson established segregation in public transportation based on the constitutionality of the Louisiana Separate Car Act.
D. Plessy v. Ferguson applied the separate but equal doctrine only to public transportation across the U.S.
A. Plessy v. Ferguson established the separate but equal doctrine that segregated Black Americans in public spaces.
The correct answer is C. Plessy v. Ferguson established segregation in public transportation based on the constitutionality of the Louisiana Separate Car Act.
To analyze the ruling of Plessy v. Ferguson and its impact on individual freedoms and equal protections, we need to examine the details of the case. Plessy v. Ferguson was a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case decided in 1896 that upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation under the "separate but equal" doctrine.
In this case, Homer Plessy, who was a mixed-race individual, challenged the constitutionality of the Louisiana Separate Car Act. This law required railroads to provide separate but equal accommodations for White and Black passengers. Plessy intentionally sat in the white-only railroad car and was subsequently arrested.
The Supreme Court, in a 7-1 decision, ruled against Plessy, stating that the Louisiana Separate Car Act did not violate the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause. The Court upheld the concept of "separate but equal," which allowed racial segregation as long as the separate facilities were deemed equal in quality.
Given this information, option C correctly analyzes the ruling of Plessy v. Ferguson. It states that the case established segregation in public transportation based on the constitutionality of the Louisiana Separate Car Act. This ruling, in effect, significantly limited the individual freedoms and equal protections of Black Americans by endorsing and legalizing racial segregation.
Options A, B, and D are inaccurate interpretations of the ruling. Plessy v. Ferguson did not establish segregation or end segregation. It upheld the constitutionality of segregation in public transportation specifically, not across the entire United States.