The Civil Rights Act of the 1960s primarily prohibited discrimination on which grounds?

• A. Race, color, religion, and sex
• B. Age
• C. Disability
• D. National origin

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is understanding which characteristics the Civil Rights Act of the 1960s aimed to protect from discrimination. The act, especially in its employment provisions, outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, and sex, and also prohibited discrimination based on national origin in many contexts. These grounds were the core focus of the Act’s landmark protections during that era, marking a major shift toward equal treatment in public life and work.

Age and disability protections were not part of the 1960s Civil Rights Act; they were addressed later by separate laws—the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 and, later, the Americans with Disabilities Act. National origin is also protected, but the option listing race, color, religion, and sex reflects the principal categories most commonly associated with the Civil Rights Act’s early and central prohibitions. That alignment is why this choice is considered the best answer among the options.