A Level History - America - Practice Exam 2025 - Free Practice Questions and Study Guide

The case of United States v. Cruikshank, decided in 1876, is significant for its interpretation of the federal government's ability to address civil rights violations, particularly in relation to violent actions taken by private individuals, such as the Ku Klux Klan. The Supreme Court ruled that the federal government did not have the authority to prosecute individuals for violating the civil rights of others if these actions did not involve state action, which effectively meant that the federal government was unable to prosecute the Ku Klux Klan for their violent assaults on African Americans during the Reconstruction era.

This decision limited the federal government's role in protecting civil rights and allowed for local and state governments to continue discriminatory practices without federal intervention. As a result, it had a profound impact on the enforcement of civil rights for African Americans in the years following the Civil War, contributing to the climate of racial violence and discrimination that persisted well into the 20th century.