WEEK 8: THE ABORTION DEBATE

Agenda ■1. Review- ■2. Lesson- ■3. Lake of Fire Documentary- 45

Review From Week 6

onpost.com/2015/0 1/16/daily-show- alabama-abortion- law_n_ htm l

History of Abortion “Abortion in the United States has been and remains one of the most controversial issues in United States culture and politics” Roe V. Wade Before After

Before Roe V. Wade ■Up until 1821, when Connecticut passed a law restricting abortion (first state in the US to do so) abortion was legal by common law (based on previous court rulings). –Comstock Laws (1873) outlawed selling or distributing “obscene” materials, which included anything related to contraception and abortion ■Great Depression- Abortions increase significantly because many women know they cannot afford another child. By 1931, illegal abortions are responsible for 14% of maternal deaths

■1955: Planned Parenthood organized a conference called “Abortion in the United States,” which leads to a national discussion on reformed abortion laws ■1969: Jane, a group of women in Chicago” starts an underground system that helps women find safe illegal abortions. They eventually learn to do it themselves and provide around 12,000 abortions from Second Wave of feminism brings women’s sexual rights to the attention of the nation and by 1970, 20 states passd abortion reform or repeal laws and in 1972 the Supreme court legalizes birth control regardless of being married or not

Roe V. Wade ■ h?v=1q5AgCzPIuA -At the time of the case, abortion was either not legal in many states, or seriously restricted by law -The court said the Ninth Amendment, which protects a persons right to privacy, was violated by outlawing abortions -Created the trimester system: -1 st trimester- legal -2 nd trimester- legal under certain circumstances -3 rd trimester- usually never legal (unless mom’s life is at risk or similar situations)

After Roe v. Wade ■1976: Planned Parenthood of Central Missouri V. Danforth- it is unconstitutional to require parental or spousal consent for an abortion ■1994: Bill Clinton signs “Abortion Clinic Protection Bill” to protect abortion clinics from attacks, vetoes previous partial birth abortion ban 2000: FDA approves abortion pill RU-486, which allows the termination of pregnancy within 4 weeks of last period 2003: President Bush signs “partial-birth abortion ban” bill, which outlaws D&X; the following year 800,000 demonstrators gather for the “March for Women’s Lives”

■2011: voters in Mississippi reject the “personhood” amendment, which would outlaw abortion in ALL cases ■2012: Susan G. Komen for the Cure announces it will end all funding to affiliates of Planned Parenthood, but reverses its decision three days later after public outcry ■2012: Supreme Court upholds President Obama’s Affordable Care Act and the level of abortion coverage a woman receives depends on their state policy