What role did the U.S. Supreme Court play in ending Reconstruction?

Question

The Court overturned the Compromise of 1877, because Congress withdrew federal troops from the South.

The Court restricted the scope of the Fourteenth Amendment by leaving its enforcement up to the states.

The Court overturned the Compromise of 1877, because Congress changed the results of the election of 1876.

The Court restricted the scope of the Fourteenth Amendment by saying it protected only the rights of African Americans.

Answer 1

The correct answer is: The Court restricted the scope of the Fourteenth Amendment by leaving its enforcement up to the states.

During the period following Reconstruction, the U.S. Supreme Court issued several rulings that significantly weakened the protections offered by the Fourteenth Amendment, which was intended to ensure equal protection under the law for all citizens, particularly African Americans. Notable decisions such as United States v. Cruikshank (1876) and Civil Rights Cases (1883) limited federal intervention in state matters and allowed states to enact discriminatory laws without federal oversight. This paved the way for the establishment of Jim Crow laws and the systemic disenfranchisement of African Americans in the South. The withdrawal of federal troops and the end of Reconstruction facilitated these state actions, further diminishing the rights guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment.