Final answer:
Paragraph 4 focuses on the importance of civil rights to African Americans and their role in shaping the struggle for equality. It supports the ideas presented in Option A, emphasizing that their fight for freedom provided a legal and moral foundation for others.
Step-by-step explanation:
Paragraph 4 of the given text contributes to the development of ideas in the text by emphasizing the significance of civil rights to African Americans and illustrating their determination to fight for equality. This paragraph does not specifically demand financial compensation, comment on the continuity of their struggle, or directly compare rights to money. Instead, it references the legal and moral foundation laid by African Americans during their struggle for freedom, which has paved the way for other groups seeking recognition of their equality.
Furthermore, the text highlights key historical events like the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the desegregation of schools and public accommodations, and the grassroots efforts that were crucial in the struggle for civil rights. Therefore, the most appropriate answer to how paragraph 4 contributes to the development of ideas in the text would be Option A: it emphasizes that African Americans have been cheated the civil rights that the nation owes them.