United States v Cruikshank

Definition

The Supreme Court case of United States v Cruikshank was a landmark decision in 1876 that limited the enforcement of civil rights protections granted under the Fourteenth Amendment. The case involved the Colfax Massacre, where a mob of white supremacists attacked and killed African Americans attempting to exercise their right to vote.

Related terms

Fourteenth Amendment: This amendment, ratified in 1868, granted citizenship and equal protection under the law to all people born or naturalized in the United States.

Civil Rights: Refers to the basic rights and privileges that every individual should have regardless of their race, gender, religion, or other characteristics.

Enforcement Acts: These were a series of federal laws passed by Congress during Reconstruction aimed at protecting civil rights for African Americans and combating violence committed by white supremacist groups like the Ku Klux Klan.