AP GoPo Chapter 5 Vocab

Affirmative Action

policies designed to counteract historical discrimination by increasing opportunities in education and employment for underrepresented groups (forward looking)

Aliens

any person residing in the United States who is not a citizen or a national of the United States.

Americans with Disabilities Act

federal civil rights law prohibiting discrimination against individuals with disabilities in employment, public accommodations, transportation, and state/local government services

Buffer Zone

legislation creating a designated, neutral area around a specific location where protesters and bystanders cannot enter to ensure safety

Civil Disobedience

the active, nonviolent (but not always), and public refusal to obey government laws or commands deemed unjust, designed to protest and force policy change

Civil Rights

government-protected rights ensuring individuals receive equal treatment and protection from discrimination under the law

Civil Rights Act of 1964

federal legislation that outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, gender, or national origin

Compensatory Action

policies or actions designed to help historically disadvantaged or minority groups "catch up" by providing special, targeted assistance (backward looking, repaying for past actions)

De facto Segregation

racial separation by fact/practice/reality, not law

De jure Segregation

racial segregation of groups enforced by government policies or laws

Emancipation Proclamation

1863 executive order by Lincoln using his commander-in-chief powers to declare slaves in Confederate-held territory free

Equal Pay Act of 1963

prohibits unfair wages based on gender

Equal Protection Clause

in the 14th amendment that requires states to treat all people within their jurisdiction equally under the law

Equality of Opportunity

belief that everyone should have the same chance to succeed in life, regardless of background, race, or gender

Equality of Results

concept that society or government should ensure individuals achieve similar economic, social, or material outcomes, regardless of starting point or effort (opposite of Opportunity)

Freedom of Choice

an individual's right to make personal decisions regarding education, lifestyle, and privacy without government interference

Hyde Amendment

prohibits federal funds—primarily through Medicaid—from being used to pay for abortions, except in cases of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother

Intermediate Standard of Review

a legal standard used by courts—primarily for gender discrimination cases—to determine if a law violates equal protection. It requires the government to prove the law serves an important government interest

NAACP

a major civil rights interest group and advocacy organization in the U.S. focused on securing political, educational, social, and economic equality for colored people

Nonviolent Civil Disobedience

the active, public, and peaceful refusal to obey government laws or commands deemed unjust, designed to highlight injustices and force legal or policy change

NOW

feminist interest group founded in 1966 that uses grassroots activism, litigation, and lobbying to achieve legal, social, and economic equality for women

Police Powers

inherent authority of state governments, reserved via the 10th Amendment, to enact laws and regulations protecting the public's health, safety, morals, and general welfare

Preferential Treatment

specifically boosts a candidate's status, such as in university admissions or hiring, based on race, gender, or ethnicity to correct historical discrimination

Rational Standard of Review

the most lenient standard of judicial review used by courts to determine the constitutionality of a law or government action, particularly regarding equal protection and due process. The law is upheld if it relates to government interest

Reasonableness

a legal test used by courts to determine if government classification (treating groups differently) is constitutional. Under this standard, differential treatment is valid if it is rationally related to a legitimate government interest

Reconstruction

post-Civil War era focused on reintegrating former Confederate states into the Union, rebuilding the Southern economy, and defining the legal status and rights of newly freed African Americans

Reverse Discrimination

claims by individuals in majority or historically advantaged groups (e.g., white or male) that they have suffered discrimination due to policies favoring minority groups

Separate-but-equal doctrine

established by the Supreme Court in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), held that racial segregation did not violate the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause, provided facilities for different races were equal in quality

Southern Manifesto

a document signed by Southern senators that argued the Supreme Court abused judicial power, violated states' rights, and urged resistance to school desegregation.

Standards of Review

legal standards that federal courts use to evaluate whether lower court decisions or government actions are constitutional

Strict Scrutiny

the highest standard of judicial review used by US courts to determine if a law violates the Constitution. It applies when laws restrict fundamental rights

Suspect Classification

legal categories—primarily race, national origin, and religion—that have historically faced intense discrimination

Title IX

federal civil rights law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in any education program or activity—including sports, admissions, and hiring—that receives federal funding