The Supreme Court and Civil Rights

Flashcards covering key concepts, cases, and amendments related to the Supreme Court and civil rights in the United States.

Bill of Rights

The first 10 Amendments to the Constitution that protect individual and state rights.

Supreme Court

Judicial body responsible for interpreting the Constitution and ensuring legislative and executive compliance with constitutional rights.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Legislation that provided a strong legislative foundation for civil liberties and rights.

Constitutional Amendments

Changes to the Constitution aimed at clarifying and expanding rights, particularly post-Civil War.

Civil Liberties

Fundamental rights and freedoms protected from infringement by the government.

Due Process

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

Fourteenth Amendment

Prohibits states from denying any person equal protection of the laws.

Fifteenth Amendment

Prohibits the denial of the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

Affirmative Action

Policies aimed at increasing opportunities for historically marginalized groups.

Shelby County v Holder

2013 Supreme Court case that invalidated federal preclearance requirements for changes to voting laws.

Obergefell v Hodges

2015 Supreme Court decision that legalized same-sex marriage across the United States.

Judicial Review

The power of the Supreme Court to declare laws or executive actions unconstitutional.

Living Constitution

Interpretive approach that views the Constitution as a dynamic document adaptable to modern circumstances.

Originalism

Interpretive philosophy that views the Constitution according to its original meaning as understood at the time it was written.

Segregation

The enforced separation of different racial groups in society.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Legislation designed to eliminate various barriers to voting for African Americans.

Jim Crow Laws

State and local laws enforcing racial segregation in the Southern United States.

Roe v. Wade

1973 Supreme Court case that recognized a woman's legal right to have an abortion.

Eighth Amendment

Prohibits the federal government from imposing excessive bail, excessive fines, or cruel and unusual punishments.

Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes

Noted for the statement that judicial interpretation defines the Constitution.