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Roe v. Wade
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Harry A. Blackmun A highly controversial issue
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Roe v. Wade: Facts & Related Content

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News •

These abortion abolitionists want women who get abortion to face criminal charges • Apr. 14, 2025, 1:33 PM ET (AP)
California man arrested near Justice Kavanaugh's home with a gun pleads guilty to attempted murder • Apr. 8, 2025, 11:28 AM ET (AP)
Praise be, loyal ‘Handmaid’s Tale’ fans: Propulsive final season promises a satisfying catharsis • Apr. 7, 2025, 12:50 PM ET (AP)
Kentucky governor vetoes GOP abortion bill, says it undermines doctors and endangers pregnant women • Mar. 25, 2025, 8:39 PM ET (AP)
Abortion once more plays a key role in a state political fight, this time in Wisconsin's court race • Mar. 22, 2025, 12:35 PM ET (AP)

Facts

Date 1973 - 2022
Location United States

Did You Know?

  • Although by the early 1900s all U.S. states had outlawed abortion, these bans were rarely enforced until the late 1930s.
  • Texas law before Roe v. Wade prohibited abortion unless the mother's life was at stake.
  • Abortion restrictions were lifted in California and New York long before Roe v. Wade.
  • Abortion was not only legal but also not widely considered immoral in the 1700s and the early to mid-1800s in the United States. Only in the late 1800s did doctors and the Roman Catholic Church take a stand against it.
  • Griswold v. State of Connecticut, a case from 1965 that established the right to privacy when medical procedures were involved, served as a legal precedent for Roe v. Wade.

Photos

Harry A. Blackmun
A highly controversial issue
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Related Topics and References

Topics

Key People

Harry A. Blackmun
Harry A. Blackmun
United States jurist
Sarah Weddington
Sarah Weddington
American lawyer
The real “Roe”
Norma McCorvey
American activist

Related Quizzes and Features

Quiz
Washington Monument. Washington Monument and fireworks, Washington DC. The Monument was built as an obelisk near the west end of the National Mall to commemorate the first U.S. president, General George Washington.
All-American History Quiz