HISET Social Studies Practice

Which amendment would you associate with the principles established in the Brown v. Board ruling?

1. First Amendment

2. Fifth Amendment

3. Fourteenth Amendment

4. Ninth Amendment

The correct answer is: Fourteenth Amendment

The principle established in the Brown v. Board of Education ruling is closely associated with the Fourteenth Amendment, which guarantees equal protection under the law. This landmark Supreme Court case declared that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, thus reinforcing the idea that all individuals, regardless of race, deserve equal treatment and access to educational opportunities. The ruling emphasized that "separate but equal" educational facilities were inherently unequal, violating the Fourteenth Amendment's equal protection clause. The other amendments mentioned do not directly relate to the issues of segregation and equality in education as addressed in this ruling. The First Amendment concerns freedoms of speech, religion, and assembly, the Fifth Amendment relates to rights in criminal cases and due process, and the Ninth Amendment addresses the enumeration of rights. While they are all important aspects of American constitutional law, they do not specifically tackle the equality issues at the heart of Brown v. Board of Education.