Plessy v. Ferguson Vocab Preview

An Act and Statue are both synonyms for...

• Sculpture

• Art

• Law

• Action

In the following excerpt, "...a commingling of the two races upon terms unsatisfactory to either," the word commingling means...

• mixing

• marriage

• removal

• separation

In the following excerpt, "recognized within the competency of the state legislatures in the exercise of their police power;" the word competency means...

• disability

• address

• inadequacy

• powers

In the following excerpt, "their separation in places where they are liable to be brought into contact...," the word liable means...

• responsible

• likely

• unaccountable

• protected

Discretion, option, decision, are synonyms for...

• choice

• worst

• indecisive

• secretive

In the following excerpt, "In determining the question of reasonableness it is at liberty to act with reference to the established usage, customs, and traditions of the people..." the word usage means...

• usable

• laws

• what people are used to

• servicable

To gauge something is to....

• ration

• ignore

• interpret

• measure

In the following excerpt, "a law which authorizes or even requires the separation of the two races in public conveyances is unreasonable..." the word conveyance means...

• transportation

• to communicate

• ship

• discourage

In the following excerpt, "We cannot say that a law which authorizes or even requires the separation of the two races in public conveyances is unreasonable or, or more obnoxious to the Fourteenth Amendment than the acts of Congress requiring separate schools for colored children..." the word obnoxious means...

• favorable

• in conflict with

• unpleasant

• dangerous

In the following excerpt, "We consider the underlying fallacy of the plaintiff's argument to consist in the assumption that the enforced separation..." the word fallacy means...

• deception

• opinion

• mistake

• truth