Gov Civil Rights Study

Civil Liberties

Protections from government (limits government power)

Civil Rights

Protections by government (ensures equal treatment)

1st Amendment

RAPPS: Religion, Assembly, Press, Petition, Speech

Establishment Clause

No state-sponsored religion

Free Exercise Clause

Right to practice religion

2nd Amendment

Right to bear arms

4th Amendment

No unreasonable searches/seizures; warrants required (probable cause)

5th Amendment

Due process; no self-incrimination; double jeopardy; eminent domain

6th Amendment

Right to speedy trial, public trial, lawyer, jury

8th Amendment

No cruel and unusual punishment; no excessive bail/fines

9th Amendment

Rights not listed are still protected

10th Amendment

Powers not given to federal gov → states/people

13th Amendment

Abolished slavery

14th Amendment

Due Process Clause; Equal Protection Clause

15th Amendment

Voting rights regardless of race

24th Amendment

No poll taxes

26th Amendment

Voting age = 18

Due Process

Government must follow fair procedures

Equal Protection

Laws must treat people equally

Selective Incorporation

Applying Bill of Rights to states via 14th Amendment

Prior Restraint

Government stopping speech before it happens (usually unconstitutional)

Miranda Rights

Police must inform suspects of rights (From Miranda v. Arizona)

Exclusionary Rule

Illegally obtained evidence cannot be used in court

Double Jeopardy

Cannot be tried twice for same crime

Plessy v. Ferguson

Created 'separate but equal' doctrine; allowed segregation

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Banned discrimination (race, gender, religion, etc.); ended segregation in public places

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Protected minority voting rights; banned literacy tests

Title IX

No sex discrimination in education

Affirmative Action

Policies to increase opportunities for historically marginalized groups

Engel v. Vitale

School prayer unconstitutional (Establishment Clause)

Wisconsin v. Yoder

Amish exempt from school past 8th grade (1st Amendment Free Exercise Clause)

Tinker v. Des Moines

Students have free speech if no disruption (1st Amendment freedom of speech)

New York Times v. United States

Gov cannot censor press (1st Amendment freedom of the press)

Schenck v. United States

Speech limited if 'clear and present danger' (1st Amendment freedom of speech)

Gideon v. Wainwright

States must provide attorneys (14th Amendment Due Process clause)

McDonald v. Chicago

Right to bear arms applies to states (Due Process Clause)

Brown v. Board of Education

Segregation unconstitutional (Equal Protection Clause)

Deliberate Speed

Desegregation ordered gradually after Brown v. Board of Education

Separate but Equal doctrine

A legal principle established by the 1896 Supreme Court case Plessy v. Ferguson, ruling that racial segregation did not violate the 14th Amendment's Equal Protection Clause if facilities were equal.