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First Amendment

Extends five basic freedoms: Speech, Religion, Assembly, Petition, and Press; significant for ensuring rights against government infringement.

Establishment Clause

Part of the First Amendment stating, 'Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion'.

Fourth Amendment

Protects against unreasonable searches and seizures without probable cause.

Fifth Amendment

Protects individuals from self-incrimination and guarantees due process of law.

Sixth Amendment

Guarantees the right to a public and speedy trial by an impartial jury.

Tenth Amendment

Reserves powers not delegated to the United States to the states or the people.

Thirteenth Amendment

Abolished slavery and involuntary servitude.

Fourteenth Amendment

Includes due process and equal protection clauses, requiring states to respect individual rights.

Fifteenth Amendment

Prohibits the government from denying voting rights based on race or color.

Seventeenth Amendment

Allows voters to directly elect U.S. senators.

Twenty Fourth Amendment

Prohibits tax imposition at voting polls.

Equal Rights Amendment

A proposed amendment for legal rights for all citizens regardless of sex.

Americans with Disabilities Act

Prohibits discrimination based on disabilities.

Civil Rights Act

Prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in hiring and employment.

Voting Rights Act

Aimed to eliminate barriers to voting for African Americans.

Bakke v. Regents of UC

Case against admission quotas; ruled that race cannot be the sole factor in admissions.

Barron v. Baltimore

Court case addressing whether the Fifth Amendment applies to state governments regarding property rights.

Dred Scott v. Sanford

Supreme Court ruling stating that enslaved people were not U.S. citizens.

Dennis v. US

Case involving the conviction of communist leaders under the Smith Act for advocating government overthrow.

Schenck v. US

Established that wartime speech can be restricted; upholds the Espionage Act.

Gitlow v. NY

Expanded First Amendment protections to state governments; established the incorporation doctrine.

McCulloch v. Maryland

Case confirming Congress's implied powers, including the establishment of a national bank.

Korematsu v. US

Upheld wartime internment of Japanese Americans, establishing a standard for racial discrimination laws.

Swann v. Charlotte Mecklenburg County Schools

Authorized federal intervention in school desegregation efforts.

Brown v. Board of Education

Declared state-sanctioned segregation in public schools unconstitutional.

Plessy v. Ferguson

Established the 'Separate But Equal' doctrine allowing segregation laws.

Near v. Minnesota

Ruled government censorship unconstitutional, upholding freedom of the press.

Miller v. California

Established a test for obscenity; clarified that obscene material is not protected by the First Amendment.

NY Times v. Sullivan

Set standard for defamation cases, allowing for unintentional mistakes in speech.

Mapp v. Ohio

Established that the exclusionary rule applies to state courts; evidence obtained illegally cannot be used.

Miranda v. Arizona

Established the requirement for police to inform individuals of their rights during interrogation.

Roe v. Wade

Legalized abortion based on the right to privacy protected by the Fourteenth Amendment.