Law-Related Question/AP US Government and Politics Exam Question:

In the U.S. Supreme Court case Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), the defendant was arrested for violating a local statute that segregated races on public railways. In response, the defendant challenged the constitutionality of the local statute, maintaining that it violated both the 13th and 14th Amendments, specifically the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.

(A) How could you best clearly summarize defendant's 13th Amendment claim of unconstitutionality?

(B) On Equal Protection grounds, the Court ruled against the defendant. In sum and substance, what was the Court's rationale when pronouncing that the racial segregation did not violate the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause?