What state approved gay marriage first

Last Updated: May 28, June 26, marks a major milestone for civil rights in the United States, as the Supreme Court announces its decision in Obergefell v. By one vote, the court rules that same-sex marriage cannot be banned in the United States and that all same-sex marriages must be recognized nationwide, finally granting same-sex couples equal rights to heterosexual couples under the law.

How legal tide turned on same-sex marriage in the US

Injust two years after the Stonewall Riots that unofficially marked the beginning of the struggle for gay rights and marriage equality, the Minnesota Supreme Court had found same-sex marriage bans constitutional, a precedent which the Supreme Court had never challenged. As homosexuality gradually became more accepted in American culture, the conservative backlash was strong enough to force President Bill Clinton to sign the Defense of Marriage Act DOMAprohibiting the recognition of same-sex marriages at the federal level, into law in Over the next decade, many states banned same-sex marriage, while Vermont instituted same-sex civil unions in and Massachusetts became the first state to legalize same-sex marriage in Gay marriage was the predominant "culture war" issue of George W.

Bush 's presidency, and even his successor Barack Obamaelected on a platform of liberal change indid not fully endorse same-sex marriage at the time of his election. Inthe Supreme Court ruled DOMA unconstitutional and declined to rule on a case regarding a California ban, effectively legalizing same-sex marriage there.

By: Brynn Holland. Obergefell originated with a gay couple, Jim Obergefell and John Arthur, who were married in Maryland, where same-sex marriage was legal, but whose marriage was not recognized by Ohio authorities. As often happens with Supreme Court cases, a number of similar cases in Ohio and elsewhere were consolidated into what became Obergefell v.

The Supreme Court heard arguments on April 28, On June 26, the court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, stating that both bans on same-sex marriages and bans on recognizing same-sex marriages were unconstitutional. Writing for the majority, Justice Anthony Kennedy said, "The right to marry is a fundamental right inherent in the liberty of the person, and under the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment couples of the same sex may not be deprived of that right and that liberty.

The ruling overturned the 13 statewide bans still in effect and effectively settled the issue at the federal level, although a few rogue counties ignored the ruling. What state approved gay marriage first more of the major events, famous births, notable deaths and everything else history-making that happened on June 26th.

Francisco Pizarro, the governor of Peru and conqueror of the Inca civilization, is assassinated in Lima by Spanish rivals. The illegitimate son of a Spanish gentleman, Pizarro served under Spanish conquistador Alonso de Ojeda during his expedition to Colombia in and was with Vasco Nunez de Balboa when he encountered the Pacific Ocean in […].

It was his second marriage. At the time, Julia was the youngest first lady in history. Tyler had wooed Julia from the time she was 19, but it took a tragedy and a narrow escape from death for her to […]. Although the Confederates sustained heavy losses and did not succeed in decisively defeating the Yankees, the battle had unnerved McClellan.

During the next week, Lee […]. During World War I, the first 14, U. The landing site had been kept secret because of the menace of German submarines, but by the time the Americans had lined up to take their first salute on French soil, an enthusiastic crowd had gathered to […].

General Assembly met in London on January 10, Despite the […]. The Berlin Airlift begins. On June 26,the U. Among the pressing questions involved in passing highway legislation were where exactly the […]. In a ceremony presided over by U.