What were the main provisions of the Civil Rights Act of 1964?

• A. Prohibited discrimination in housing and education.
• B. Created the Federal Reserve to oversee civil rights.
• C. Desegregated schools solely by court orders.
• D. Prohibited discrimination in public accommodations, employment, and programs funded by the federal government; desegregation.

Answer: (D)

The main idea tested is what the Civil Rights Act of 1964 aimed to change in American life. This law targeted discrimination in areas where segregation and unequal treatment were most entrenched and gave the federal government tools to enforce desegregation.

The strongest answer captures three major provisions: it prohibits discrimination in public accommodations such as hotels, restaurants, and theaters; it bans discrimination in employment by employers, labor unions, and employment agencies; and it bars discrimination in programs that receive federal funds. It also uses federal enforcement to push desegregation, including by empowering the government to enforce equal access and opportunity across these domains. In practice, it also led to the creation of mechanisms like the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to enforce Title VII, which focuses on employment discrimination.

Other options miss important parts or misstate the scope. Housing discrimination and education were not the central focus of this statute (housing protections came later in other laws, and education desegregation involved multiple efforts beyond this act). Desegregation of schools involved a broader, ongoing process rather than being achieved solely by court orders.