Question

which amendments did plessy argue made segregation illegal?

the 1st, 4th, and 5th amendments
the 9th and 10th amendments
the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments

Explanation:

Identify the core legal argument

Using the Plessy v. Ferguson knowledge point, Homer Plessy challenged Louisiana's Separate Car Act of 1890 after being arrested for sitting in a "whites-only" railway car.

Analyze the constitutional basis

Using the Fourteenth Amendment and Reconstruction Amendments knowledge points, Plessy's legal team argued that state-mandated segregation violated his constitutional rights. Specifically, they asserted that the segregation law violated the Thirteenth Amendment (by imposing a badge of servitude) and the Fourteenth Amendment (by denying him equal protection under the law). The Reconstruction Amendments (the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments) collectively aimed to establish civil rights for newly freed individuals, which formed the foundation of his legal challenge.

Evaluate the given options

• Option 1 (1st, 4th, and 5th) focuses on individual liberties and criminal procedure, not racial segregation.
• Option 2 (9th and 10th) addresses unenumerated rights and state powers.
• Option 3 (13th, 14th, and 15th) represents the Reconstruction Amendments, which directly align with Plessy's arguments against racial discrimination and segregation.

Answer:

• the 1st, 4th, and 5th amendments
• the 9th and 10th amendments
• the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments (Correct answer)