The Civil Rights Act of 1866 prohibits discrimination based on which of the following?

The Civil Rights Act of 1866 specifically addresses discrimination in the context of race. It was enacted primarily to protect the rights of African Americans in the aftermath of the Civil War. This legislation was one of the first federal laws aimed at establishing equal rights for all citizens, particularly focusing on ensuring that all individuals, regardless of race, could make and enforce contracts and enjoy the same rights as white citizens.

While the Act is not concerned with discrimination based on sex, national origin, or religion, it laid the foundation for subsequent civil rights legislation that would later address those forms of discrimination. For instance, later acts, such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, expanded protections to include gender, religion, and national origin. Therefore, the correct answer highlights the specific focus of the Civil Rights Act of 1866 on race-based discrimination.