Civil Rights Quiz (with Answers)
Created by FindLaw's team of legal writers and editors | Last reviewed November 29, 2017
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Test your knowledge of civil rights with this 10-question quiz, which covers the Civil Rights Movement, important court decisions, and laws protecting peoples' civil rights. Click here to view the quiz without the answers.
1. On August 28, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech from the steps of what Washington, D.C. location?
a) The White House b) The Lincoln Memorial c) The U.S. Capitol d) The U.S. Supreme Court building
Answer: B
2. In 1890, which was the first state in the Union to grant women the right to vote?
a) California b) Wyoming c) Massachusetts d) Rhode Island
Answer: B
3. Which amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees due process and equal protection rights to all citizens?
a) The 14th Amendment b) The 15th Amendment c) The 16th Amendment d) The 17th Amendment
Answer: A
4. True or False: During World War II more than 100,000 individuals of Japanese ancestry living on the West Coast were forced by the U.S. government to leave their homes and were moved to "interment" or "relocation" camps.
Answer: True
5. The historic 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision Brown v. Board of Education:
a) Guaranteed the right to vote to all U.S. citizens b) Prohibited racial segregation in public schools c) Defined sexual harassment as a form of unlawful gender discrimination d) Recognized flag burning as protected under the First Amendment
Answer: B
6. Rosa Parks's arrest after her refusal to move to the back of a bus triggered a citywide boycott of what city's bus system?
a) Atlanta, Georgia b) Charleston, South Carolina c) Memphis, Tennessee
d) Montgomery, Alabama
Answer: D
7. The Americans with Disabilities Act, which protects persons with disabilities from discrimination in many aspects of life -- including employment, education, and access to buildings and businesses -- was signed into law in:
a) 1970 b) 1980 c) 1990 d) 2000
Answer: C
8. True or False: The Equal Rights Amendment, passed by Congress in 1971 and explicitly guaranteeing equality to all persons, regardless of gender, was later signed into law.
Answer: False. The Equal Rights Amendment did not receive enough votes for ratification by the individual states, and was never signed into law.
9. The Family and Medical Leave Act, passed in 1993, gives most employees the right to take time off in order to care for:
a) A newborn child b) A recently adopted child c) An ill family member d) All of the above
Answer: D
10. In 2000, which U.S. state became the first to offer "civil unions" to same-sex couples, a legally-recognized relationship status that provides many of the same rights as marriage?
a) Hawaii b) New York c) Oregon d) Vermont
Answer: D
Protect Your Civil Rights: Talk to an Attorney About Your Claim
Taking a civil rights quiz provides a lot of knowledge about historic civil rights events. Maybe you are personally impacted by civil rights violations currently. If you believe that your rights have been violated, then take the next step by talking to a civil rights attorney near you.
Next Steps
Contact a qualified civil rights attorney to help you protect your rights.