Civil Rights Chapter 12 Quiz

Hernandez vs. Texas Supreme Court Case

• Pete Hernandez fatally shot a man, prompting a trial that highlighted discrimination against Mexican Americans.
• The case was significant due to its challenge to an all-white jury composition, which was argued as unconstitutional.
• Hernandez's attorney invoked the 14th Amendment, asserting that Mexican Americans were citizens classified as "white," deserving a jury of peers representative of their community.
• The Supreme Court ultimately ruled that excluding Mexican Americans from juries violated constitutional rights.

Support for Exclusion from Juries

• State attorneys argued that Mexican Americans were classified as white, suggesting that they could be judged by all-white juries without legal issue.
• This rationale implied that Mexican Americans had equal status under the law, despite prevalent discrimination.

Definition of a Jury of Peers

• A jury of peers refers to a panel composed of individuals with similar race, ethnicity, background, education, and social class to the defendant.
• This concept underscores the importance of fairness and representation in legal proceedings.

Social Construction of Race

• The case illustrated the fluidity of racial definitions, exposing how Mexican Americans were viewed differently by the dominant culture.
• The "caucasian cloak" metaphor reflects how the legal status of Mexican Americans could shift, revealing racial biases embedded in the legal system.
• The legal classification of Mexican Americans as white became a social construct used to both marginalize and control their status in society.

Test your knowledge on Chapter 12, 'A Class Apart,' which explores the Hernandez vs. Texas Supreme Court case. This landmark case highlights the discrimination faced by Mexican Americans and its constitutional implications. Dive deeper into this important chapter in civil rights history.