Civics Final Exam Review Spring 2025

Lorena Weeks

The woman involved in the court case after Southern Bell Telephone Company refused to give her a promotion and instead gave it to a less qualified man. Sponsored by NOW, her lawsuit supported the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The Equal Rights Amendment

A constitutional amendment originally introduced in Congress in 1923 and passed by Congress in 1972, stating that 'equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.' Despite public support, the amendment failed to acquire the necessary support from three-fourths of the state legislatures.

Roe v. Wade

The 1973 Supreme Court decision holding that a state ban on all abortions was unconstitutional. The decision forbade state control over abortions during the first trimester of pregnancy, permitted states to limit abortions to protect the mother's health in the second trimester, and permitted states to protect the fetus during the third trimester.

Jerry Falwell

Leader and founder of the Moral Majority, a group that supported Ronald Reagan for president in 1980; rallying cry was 'family values', anti-abortion, favored prayer in schools.

Phyllis Schlafly

Female activist who founded an organization 'Stop the ERA'. Like many others in the social conservative movement, she worried that 'traditional' family relationships were being threatened by a new movement purporting to support women's equality.

Obergefell v. Hodges

This 2015 Supreme Court case supported same sex marriage. The majority opinion argued that marriage was one of the rights to which Americans were entitled according to the Constitution, and the 14th Amendment prevented the states from preventing same sex marriage.

Mapp v. Ohio

This 1960 Supreme Court ruling established that evidence illegally gathered by the police could not be used in a criminal trial. This 'exclusionary' rule became controversial later among those who thought the Supreme Court supported the rights of the criminally accused more than the rights of victims.

Miranda v. Arizona

In 1966, the Supreme Court held that criminal suspects must be informed of their right to consult with an attorney and of their right against self-incrimination prior to questioning by police.

Gideon v. Wainwright

In this 1963 case, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that state courts are required under the Sixth Amendment of the Constitution to provide counsel in criminal cases for defendants unable to afford their own attorneys.

New Jersey v. T.L.O

A 1985 Supreme Court case in which it was decided that a student may be searched at school if there is 'reasonable ground' for doing so. The case indicated students can expect less privacy at school than adults because administrators have a responsibility to provide a safe learning environment.

Southern Strategy

Nixon's plan to persuade white voters away from the Democratic party. Many white voters were frustrated with the anti-segregation policies of the national Democratic Party, and Nixon saw an opportunity to steer those voters toward his own political coalition.

Richard Nixon

Elected president in 1968 and 1972, this person was forced to resign from office in 1974.

War on Drugs

In the late 70s and 80s, this campaign fought the new levels of poverty, crime, & drug addiction in the inner cities.

Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education

In this 1971 Supreme Court Decision, the court ruled that schools had to be integrated based on the percentage of black students in the whole district.

Milliken v. Bradley

1974 Supreme Court case that ruled that desegregation plans could not require students to move across school district lines.

Religious Establishment

It is unclear whether the 1st Amendment forbids any connection between church and state or whether this only prevents the creation of a state-supported religious community.

Bradfield v. Roberts

The Supreme Court in 1899 sustained federal aid to a Roman Catholic hospital operated by nuns against the charge that it was establishing religion in violation of the First Amendment.

Everson v. Board of Education

The Court ruled in 1947 that the New Jersey law allowing the state to pay for busing students to parochial schools was constitutional.

Lemon v. Kurtzman

The 1971 Supreme Court decision that established that aid to church-related schools must have a secular legislative purpose, not advance or inhibit religion, and not foster excessive government entanglement with religion.

Kennedy v. Bremerton School District

The Supreme Court in 2022 sided with a public-school football coach who demanded the right to pray with his players after games at the 50-yard-line.

Ronald Reagan

First elected president in 1980 and elected again in 1984, he ran on a campaign based on the common man and 'populist' ideas.