AP gov vocab

4th amendment

Protects against unreasonable searches and seizures, requiring law enforcement to obtain a warrant based on probable cause.

5th amendment

Protects against self-incrimination and double jeopardy, ensures due process of law.

6th amendment

Guarantees the right to a fair trial, including the right to be informed of charges, to confront witnesses, and to have legal counsel.

7th amendment

The 7th amendment guarantees the right to a jury trial in civil cases where the value in controversy exceeds twenty dollars.

8th amendment

Prohibits excessive bail and cruel and unusual punishment.

9th amendment

The 9th Amendment of the US Constitution protects rights not specifically enumerated in the Constitution, asserting that the enumeration of certain rights does not deny or disparage others retained by the people.

10th amendment

Reinforces the principle of federalism by reserving powers not delegated to the federal government for the states and the people.

14th amendment

Grants citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States, including formerly enslaved people. It also provides equal protection under the law and addresses due process rights.

1st amendment

Protects freedoms of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition.

2nd amendment

The 2nd Amendment to the United States Constitution protects the individual right to keep and bear arms, stating that a well-regulated militia is necessary for the security of a free state.

3rd amendment

Prohibits the quartering of soldiers in private homes during peacetime.

selective incorporation

A legal doctrine used by the Supreme Court to apply the Bill of Rights to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment's Due Process Clause.

due process

Legal requirement that the state must respect all legal rights owed to a person, ensuring fair treatment.

affirmative action

Policies to improve opportunities for historically marginalized groups in education and employment.

civil liberties

The basic rights and freedoms that are guaranteed to individuals, often protected from government infringement, including freedom of speech, religion, and privacy.

civil rights

The rights that protect individuals' freedom from infringement, primarily by governments, and ensure equal treatment under the law.

establishment clause of 1st amendment

prohibits the government from establishing an official religion or unduly favoring one religion over another.

free exercise clause of 1st amendment

The provision in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution that protects individuals' rights to practice their religion freely without government interference.

DC v. Heller

A landmark Supreme Court case from 2008 that affirmed an individual's right to possess a firearm for self-defense within the home, striking down a Washington D.C. handgun ban.

procedural due process

A constitutional requirement that government must follow fair procedures before depriving a person of life, liberty, or property. This includes notice and an opportunity to be heard.

exclusionary rule

A legal principle that bars the use of illegally obtained evidence in a court of law.

civil rights act of 1964

Legislation that outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, and aimed to end segregation in schools and public places.

title ix of education amendments act of 1964

A federal law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in any school or education program that receives federal funding.

articles of confederation

The first constitution of the United States, adopted in 1781, which established a weak federal government and was later replaced by the US Constitution.

brutis 1

A significant anti-Federalist paper arguing against the ratification of the US Constitution, authored by Robert Yates under the pseudonym "Brutus." It expressed concerns about the potential for a powerful central government to infringe upon individual liberties.

declaration of independence

A historic document adopted on July 4, 1776, asserting the thirteen American colonies' right to self-govern and declaring independence from British rule.

fed 10

An essay by James Madison that argues for the advantages of a large republic and the dangers of factions. It was part of the Federalist Papers, promoting ratification of the Constitution.

fed 51

An essay written by James Madison that addresses the structure of the government and the importance of checks and balances in preventing tyranny.

fed 70

An essay by Alexander Hamilton that argues for a strong executive branch in government, emphasizing the need for a singular leader to ensure accountability and decisiveness.

fed 78

Federalist Paper discussing the role of the judiciary in the new government, emphasizing the importance of an independent judiciary to safeguard rights and maintain the rule of law.

MLK “letter from birmingha jail”

A written statement by Martin Luther King Jr. outlining the moral arguments for civil disobedience and the urgent need for racial justice. It addresses criticisms of the civil rights movement and emphasizes the importance of nonviolent protest.

maubury v madison

A landmark Supreme Court case in 1803 that established the principle of judicial review, allowing the Court to declare an act of Congress unconstitutional.

mcculloch v maralynd

A landmark Supreme Court case that established the principle of federal supremacy over state laws and affirmed the implied powers of Congress.

schenck v united states

A landmark Supreme Court case that upheld the conviction of Charles Schenck for distributing anti-draft pamphlets during World War I, establishing the principle that free speech is limited in times of clear and present danger.

brown v board of education

A landmark Supreme Court case that declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional, ruling that "separate but equal" educational facilities were inherently unequal.

baker v carr

A landmark Supreme Court case that addressed redistricting and the justiciability of political questions, establishing the principle of "one person, one vote."

engel v vitale

A landmark Supreme Court case from 1962 that ruled it unconstitutional for state officials to compose an official school prayer and encourage its recitation in public schools, violating the Establishment Clause.

gideon v wainwright

A landmark Supreme Court case that established the right to counsel, ensuring that defendants in criminal cases have access to legal representation, even if they cannot afford an attorney.

tinker v des moines

A landmark Supreme Court case that established the right of students to wear black armbands in school as a form of free speech, affirming that students do not lose their First Amendment rights at the schoolhouse gate.

new york times v united states

A landmark Supreme Court case that determined the First Amendment protects the publication of classified information unless it poses an immediate threat to national security.

yoder v wisconsin

A landmark Supreme Court case that ruled on the rights of parents to make decisions regarding their children's education and the free exercise of religion.

united states v lopez

A landmark Supreme Court case in 1995 that limited the federal government's power under the Commerce Clause, ruling that possession of a firearm in a school zone is not an economic activity that affects interstate commerce.

shaw v reno

A landmark Supreme Court case that addressed racial gerrymandering in North Carolina. The Court ruled that district maps drawn to favor a particular race could violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

mcdonald v chicago

A landmark Supreme Court case that held the Second Amendment applies to state and local governments through the Fourteenth Amendment's Due Process Clause.

citizens united v FEC

A landmark Supreme Court case that ruled that government restrictions on independent political expenditures by corporations and unions violate the First Amendment. The ruling affirmed the principle of free speech in political spending.

bill of rights

The first ten amendments to the United States Constitution that guarantee individual rights and liberties. It includes freedoms such as speech, religion, and the press, as well as protections against unreasonable searches and seizures.