Plessy v. Ferguson – Case Comprehension Questions

Explain, using textual evidence, why the railroad opposed Louisiana's 1890 Separate Car Act.

Identify which constitutional amendments Plessy's lawyers cited and summarize what the 14th Amendment guarantees.

Compare Justice Brown's majority opinion with Justice Harlan's dissent in the 1896 ruling.

Trace how the "separate but equal" doctrine was later overturned by Brown v. Board of Education.

Assign the reading independently — the passage supplies all needed background, so no separate lecture or textbook chapter is required before the eight questions.

Have students underline the sentence that answers each question as they read, since the assignment specifically asks for supporting statements from the text.

Use the matching key when grading question 7, which accepts any two of the four dissent reasons it lists for full credit.

Choose the Word file if students should type their answers directly, or the PDF if they'll write by hand.

Textual evidence citation — students answer all eight comprehension questions in complete sentences using statements from the reading to support each answer.

Primary-source analysis — students read direct quotations from Justice Brown's majority opinion and Justice Harlan's dissent and explain each justice's reasoning.

Constitutional literacy — students identify which amendments were cited in Plessy's case and state what the 14th Amendment guarantees.

Cause-and-effect historical reasoning — students trace how the 1896 "separate but equal" ruling was later overturned by the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision.