Plessy v. Ferguson · US History

Before Plessy reached the U.S. Supreme Court, the Louisiana Supreme Court had ruled that:

  1. The law could only apply to trains traveling within the state
  2. The Separate Car Act was unconstitutional
  3. Homer Plessy was legally white and therefore innocent
  4. The law violated the Commerce Clause of the federal Constitution
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Correct answer: The law could only apply to trains traveling within the state

The Louisiana Supreme Court held that the state had the right to regulate railroads as long as they were 'intrastate' (operating only within Louisiana). They argued this was a valid exercise of the state's 'police power' to maintain public order.

Difficulty: Medium Question 18 of 20

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