Abortion Regulation In The United States
Elizabeth Grace
Professor Thom
PPD 357
9 December 2016
A Comparative Study of Abortion Regulation in the United States The United States was defiantly founded on principles of freedom and democracy, both of which are held in the most important governmental document. Since this nation’s conception, the US Constitution has served as a foundation for identifying the separation of powers between branches of the government, and the rights and civil liberties of citizens. In the First Amendment, it states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…” (US Const. Amend. I). While this ensures Americans are granted the freedom to follow any religion of their choosing and subsequently …show more content…
In 1879, Connecticut banned the use of any methods of contraception. As the law stated, “Any person who uses any drug, medicinal article or instrument for the purposes of preventing conception shall be fined not less than forty dollars, or imprisoned not less than sixty days” (PBS). This legislation also maintained that any individual who served as an aid, or accomplice, to a person seeking contraception could be held punishable to the same degree as the offender. In 1965, Planned Parenthood League of Connecticut’s executive director, Estelle Griswold, and the medical director, Dr. Lee Buxton, a Yale Medical School professor, were both arrested for serving as accomplices in providing contraception to patients and fined $100 each (LII/Legal Information Institute). Outraged, they both filed suits against the state of Connecticut. However, state courts upheld this decision and maintained that any contraception would indeed warrant a criminal charge. Still upset with the law, Griswold v. Connecticut was taken to the Supreme Court. In 1965, the Supreme Court decided that the Connecticut law was indeed unconstitutional. A 7-2 majority decision maintained that the law infringed upon individuals’ basic rights – more specifically, upon the “right to marital privacy” (PBS). In combination with the First Amendment granting the freedom of speech, the Third preventing forced housing for troops, the Fourth granting freedom from search & seizures, and the Fifth granting the inability to self-incriminate, and the Ninth, it was found by and large that the law violated citizens’ right to their own privacy (LII/Legal Information Institute). Privacy, in this case, is the decision to use contraception or not within the confines of a personal marriage. This set precedent in that the state could not make reproductive health decisions, and
Professor Thom
PPD 357
9 December 2016
A Comparative Study of Abortion Regulation in the United States The United States was defiantly founded on principles of freedom and democracy, both of which are held in the most important governmental document. Since this nation’s conception, the US Constitution has served as a foundation for identifying the separation of powers between branches of the government, and the rights and civil liberties of citizens. In the First Amendment, it states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…” (US Const. Amend. I). While this ensures Americans are granted the freedom to follow any religion of their choosing and subsequently …show more content…
In 1879, Connecticut banned the use of any methods of contraception. As the law stated, “Any person who uses any drug, medicinal article or instrument for the purposes of preventing conception shall be fined not less than forty dollars, or imprisoned not less than sixty days” (PBS). This legislation also maintained that any individual who served as an aid, or accomplice, to a person seeking contraception could be held punishable to the same degree as the offender. In 1965, Planned Parenthood League of Connecticut’s executive director, Estelle Griswold, and the medical director, Dr. Lee Buxton, a Yale Medical School professor, were both arrested for serving as accomplices in providing contraception to patients and fined $100 each (LII/Legal Information Institute). Outraged, they both filed suits against the state of Connecticut. However, state courts upheld this decision and maintained that any contraception would indeed warrant a criminal charge. Still upset with the law, Griswold v. Connecticut was taken to the Supreme Court. In 1965, the Supreme Court decided that the Connecticut law was indeed unconstitutional. A 7-2 majority decision maintained that the law infringed upon individuals’ basic rights – more specifically, upon the “right to marital privacy” (PBS). In combination with the First Amendment granting the freedom of speech, the Third preventing forced housing for troops, the Fourth granting freedom from search & seizures, and the Fifth granting the inability to self-incriminate, and the Ninth, it was found by and large that the law violated citizens’ right to their own privacy (LII/Legal Information Institute). Privacy, in this case, is the decision to use contraception or not within the confines of a personal marriage. This set precedent in that the state could not make reproductive health decisions, and