Question

read the excerpt from brown v. board of education.

reargument was largely devoted to the circumstances surrounding the adoption of the fourteenth amendment in 1868.

the supreme court studies the fourteenth amendment to determine

the primary authors of the document.
whether its intent has been compromised.
how it has been interpreted in each state.
whether it needs to be repealed.

Explanation:

Analyze the excerpt

The excerpt states: "Reargument was largely devoted to the circumstances surrounding the adoption of the Fourteenth Amendment in 1868."

Connect to the options

Studying the "circumstances surrounding the adoption" of an amendment is done to understand the original intent of its framers and determine whether that original intent or purpose has been compromised or how it applies to the current case.

Evaluate the choices

• "the primary authors of the document": Incorrect; the court is studying the circumstances of adoption, not identifying the authors.
• "whether its intent has been compromised": Correct; analyzing the historical context of adoption helps the Court determine the original intent and whether subsequent actions (like segregation) violate or compromise that intent.
• "how it has been interpreted in each state": Incorrect; the focus is on the federal adoption circumstances in 1868, not individual state-by-state historical interpretations.
• "whether it needs to be repealed": Incorrect; the Supreme Court does not have the power to repeal constitutional amendments.

Answer:

• the primary authors of the document.
• whether its intent has been compromised. (Correct answer)
• how it has been interpreted in each state.
• whether it needs to be repealed.