Studied by 36 people
Civil Liberties
fundamental rights and freedoms protected from infringement by the government
Civil Rights
protections from discrimination as a member of a particular group
Bill of Rights
a list of fundamental rights and freedoms that individuals possess. The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution are referred to as the Bill of Rights.
Due Process Clause
the clause in the Fourteenth Amendment that restricts state governments from denying citizens their life, liberty, or property without legal safeguards
Selective Incorporation
the process through which the Supreme Court applies fundamental rights in the Bill of Rights to the states on a case-by-case basis
Establishment Clause
First Amendment protection against the government requiring citizens to join or support a religion
Free Exercise Clause
First Amendment protection of the rights of individuals to exercise and express their religious beliefs
Freedom of Expression
a fundamental right affirmed in the First Amendment to speak, publish, and protest
Clear and Present Danger Test
legal standard that speech posing an immediate and serious threat to national security is not protected by the First Amendment
Prior Restraint
the suppression of material prior to publication on the grounds that it might endanger national security
Symbolic Speech
protected expression in the form of images, signs, and other symbols
Libel
an untrue written statement that injures a person's reputation
Slander
an untrue spoken expression that injures a person's reputation
Obscenity and Pornography
words, images, or videos that depict sexual activity in an offensive manner and that lack any artistic merit
Ex Post Facto Laws
a law punishing people for acts that were not crimes at the time they were committed
Bill of Attainder
when the legislature declares someone guilty without a trial
Writ of Habeas Corpus
the right of people detained by the government to know the charges against them
Procedural Due Process
a judicial standard requiring that fairness be applied to all individuals equally
Warrant
a document issued by a judge authorizing a search
Probable Cause
reasonable belief that a crime has been committed or that there is evidence indicating so
Exclusionary Rule
a rule that evidence obtained without a warrant is inadmissible in court
Grand Jury
a group of citizens who, based on the evidence presented to them, decide whether or not a person should be indicted and subsequently tried in court a court of law
Double Jeopardy
protects an individual acquitted of a crime from being charged with the same crime again in the same jurisdiction
Miranda Rights
the rights to remain silent and to have an attorney present during questioning; these rights must be given by police to individuals suspected of criminal activity
Bail
an amount of money posted as a security to allow the charged individual to be freed while awaiting trial
Civil Rights
protections from discrimination as a member of a particular group
Thirteenth Amendment
constitutional amendment that outlaws slavery
Fourteenth Amendment
constitutional amendment asserting that persons born in the United States are citizens and prohibits states from denying persons due process or equal protection under the law
Equal Protection Clause
a clause of the Fourteenth Amendment that requires the states to treat all citizens alike with regard to application of the laws
Fifteenth Amendment
constitutional amendment that gave African Americans the right to vote
Separate but Equal
the doctrine that racial segregation was constitutional so long as the facilities for blacks and whites were equal
Legal Segregation
the separation by law of individuals based on their race
De Jure Segregation
the separation of individuals based on their characteristics, such as race, intentionally and by law
De Facto Segregation
a separation of individuals based on characteristics that arises not by law but because of other factors, such as residential housing patterns
Affirmative Action
a policy designed to address the consequences of previous discrimination by providing special consideration to individuals based upon their characteristics, such as race or gender
Social Movement
large groups of citizens organizing for political change
Civil Disobedience
the intentional refusal to obey a law to call attention to its injustice
Civil Rights Act of 1964
legislation outlawing racial segregation in schools and public places and authorizing the attorney general to sue individual school districts that failed to desegregate
Voting Rights Act of 1965
legislation outlawing literacy tests and authorizing the Justice Department to send federal officers to register voters in uncooperative cities, counties, and states
Nineteenth Amendment
a 1920 constitutional amendment granting women the right to vote
Title IX of the Higher Education Amendments of 1972
legislation prohibiting sex discrimination in schools receiving federal aid, which had the impact of increasing female participation in sports program
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Flashcard (335)