POLS Quiz 3

Civil Rights + Congress

Emancipation Proclamation.

an executive order, abolished slavery in unconquered areas of the South

Gettysburg Address.

Slavery is incompatible with the Declaration of Independence

What were the three Civil Rights Amendments ?

13th, 14th, 15th amendments

13th Amendment

banned slavery

14th Amendment

granted citizenship, and the equal protection clause

15th Amendment

voting rights, and suffrage / the franchise = right to vote

19th Amendment.

woman’s suffrage !!!!!!!!!! yay!!

What is nullification?

argument that states can void federal law if states deemed it unconstitutional

The Civil Rights Cases (1883)?

federal government could not prohibit discrimination by private individuals

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)?

upholds constitutionality of “separate but equal” .

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)?

school segregation violates the 14th amendment, required federal enforcement, “separate cannot be equal”

How long after Brown did it take for there to be meaningful levels of integration in schools in the South?

15 years

Why was the Voting Rights Act of 1965 necessary?

to enforce the 15th Amendment and end widespread racial discrimination that barred Black Americans and other minorities from voting

What was the significance of Shelby County, AL v Holder (2013)?

It struck down the coverage formula finding it to be based on outdated conditions.

What was the significance of Crawford v. Marion County Election Board (2008)?

states can legally require voters to show a government-issued photo ID before voting in person

What is affirmative action?

policies designed to ensure equal opportunity for minority groups in order compensate for disadvantaged economic circumstances.

What explains congress’ low approval ratings but high rates of re-election (understand the criteria used by people in evaluating Congress as a whole vs. their own members).

low:

What influences members of Congress to do the things that they do (be sure to know what the most important consideration is)?

Re-election!! is the primary motivator

-party influences, and personal preference

Who is responsible for redistricting in most states.

State legislatures

What is gerrymandering?

Excessive manipulation of a legislative district to benefit a certain interest

What was the finding in Shaw v. Reno (1993)?

Race cannot be the predominant factor in the redrawing of district lines.

What is casework?

the assistance that elected officials and their staff provide to constituents when they face problems or run into roadblocks with government agencies

What is pork?

the allocation of government funds to localized projects that primarily benefit a specific politician's home district or constituency