The US Civil Rights Movement - IB History

Constitution

A charter written which explains how the US government works. It explains the 3 branches of government. It is a living document which can be updated (contain amendments)

Executive Branch

Enforces, carries out laws, includes the president, vice president, the Cabinet, agencies

Legislative Branch

Creates laws, controls taxing and spending policies

Judicial Branch

Judges laws, includes the Supreme Court and lower courts

Congress

The legislative branch/part of the US government which creates laws. It represents the US people.

Supreme Court

The highest court in the US government. It acts as the final authority (power) of the judicial branch of government

KKK

The Ku Klux Klan, formed in 1865, an American white supremacist terrorist group which aims to spread hatred against African Americans and other communities

White Supremacy

The belief that white people are superior to other races and that white people should control society

Plessy vs Ferguson

A Supreme Court case that created the “separate but equal” doctrine

"Separate but Equal" Doctrine

A policy made by the Supreme Court in 1896, establishing that white and black people would have separate but supposedly equal facilities and services

Brown vs Board of Education, 1954

A case where the father of Linda Brown filed a suit to the Supreme Court about all-white and all-black schools being an unequal and unfair education system that goes against the “equal protection clause” of the 14th Amendment. The case was somewhat successful.