Roe v. Wade Timeline

Women's Rights Movement

The 1960s

The Women's Rights Movement is important to undertsanding Roe v. Wade as this movement set the groundworks for which it stood on. Some court cases discussing the groundworks for laws involving contreception laid the base which allowed for Roe v. Wade to be passed (History.com Editors, 2023).

The 1960s

Roe v. Wade's Entrance

January 22, 1973

1973

The Supreme Court issued a 7-2 decsion in favour of Roe making the right to an abortion an American right under the 14th amendment (Saperstone, 2022). This is important to undertsnading the roots of the issue as if Roe v. Wade was never made there would be no overturning of it.

"March for Life"

1974

The protest "March for Life" was held in Washington D.C. The leader of the pro-life protest, Nellie Grey, claimed the event would be held every year until the Supreme Court's decision to legalize abortions was revoked (Quinn, 2022). This is imporant to undertsanding the issue as Roe v. Wade as the law was something that was contreversial from the beginning, so there being judges who objedcted it was not suprising.

January 22, 1974

June 1986

Missouri Govenor

1986

A Missouri govenor signed a legisaltion that imposes restrictions onto the right to an abortion. They claimed that "life begins at contraception". They also made it so public employees and facilities could not issue abortions unless it was to save a life (Quinn, 2022). This is important because it was one of the first times reproductive rights started to get restricted. Which would eventually lead to the complete overturning of Roe v. Wade.

Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey

April 22, 1992

1992

This case established restrictions on abortions were unconstitutional as the placed an "undue burden" on women before the fetus is viable (Britannica, 2023). This is an impoortant detail as for every Missouri govenor there was restricting rights there was someone out there protecting them.

October 2020

Conservative Judges

2020

When former presidant Donald Trump was in power, he elected 3 judges to the Supreme Court forming a conservative majority. The final one, Amy Coney Berrett, was elected this day with two being elected previously (Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh) (Saperstone, 2022). This is an imporant detail as these were apart of the group of Supreme Court Judges who voted for Roe v. Wade to be overturned.

May 2, 2022

Leaked Details

2022

A Political report leaked details of a Supreme Court draft indicating that Roe v. Wade would be overturned (Saperstone, 2022). This was imporant because it was when America realized what would soon become a reality, reproductive rights were being taken away. This lead to the beginning of the protests which would carry on in America.

June 24, 2022

Overturned

2022

Roe v. Wade got overturned in a Supreme Court ruling of 5-4. This led to abortion being banned in roughly half of the US states (Saperstone, 2022). This is imporant as it is the end of safe and healthy abortions for US women and anyone assigned female at birth. This piece is the main component in the issue therefore important to include.

What Now?

2022 onward

Since Then

Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, people across the US have take to the streets to protest the Supreme Court's decision. Roughly 25 million women every year resort to unsafe abortions across the world because it is illegal in their country (Lowery, 2022). It is important to unserstand this this does not stop abortions from happening. It is just stopping safe access to abortion. It is important to note the protests happening as this decision is not being accepted by everyone. Standing up and saying things aren't right is neccessary to cause change.

Bibliography

Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2023, February 14). Roe v. Wade. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Roe-v-Wade

History.com Editors. (2023, January 25). Roe v. Wade: Decision, Summary & Background - History. History.com. Retrieved February 23, 2023, from https://www.history.com/topics/womens-history/roe-v-wade

Lowery, T. (2022, May 19). Roe v. Wade: How people globally are protesting to support abortion rights & why it matters. Global Citizen. Retrieved February 23, 2023, from https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/roe-v-wade-how-people-globally-are-protesting-to-s/#:~:text=Abortion%20rights%20supporters%20around%20the%20world%20reacted%20with,the%20right%20to%20abortion%20across%20the%20United%20States.

Bibliography

Quinn, M. (2022, June 26). A timeline of the abortion debate at the Supreme Court, from Roe v. Wade to its end. CBS News. Retrieved February 23, 2023, from https://www.cbsnews.com/news/supreme-court-roe-v-wade-abortion-debate-timeline-overturn/

Saperstone, J. (2022, June 24). Timeline: Roe v. Wade Abortion Law from 1973-2022. NBC Boston. Retrieved February 23, 2023, from https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/timeline-roe-v-wade-abortion-law-from-1973-2022/2755969/