AP Gov Unit 3 (Chapter 8 & 9)

Bill of Rights

The first ten Amendments to the Constitution, designed to protect individual liberties and rights.

Civil liberties

Constitutionally established guarantees that protect citizens against arbitrary government interference.

Civil rights

Rights that protect individuals from discrimination based on race, national origin, religion, and sex.

First Amendment

Guarantees religious freedom, freedom of speech, and freedom of the press.

Second Amendment

The right to bear arms.

Fourth Amendment

The right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures.

Fifth Amendment

Includes the due process clause that applies to the national government.

Sixth Amendment

Guarantees the right to legal counsel, a speedy and public trial, and an impartial jury.

Eighth Amendment

Prohibits cruel and unusual punishment.

Ninth Amendment

States that individuals have rights beyond those listed in the first eight amendments.

Fourteenth Amendment

Includes the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses and grants citizenship to all born in the U.S.

Establishment Clause

Prohibits the government from establishing an official religion.

Free Exercise Clause

Guarantees freedom of conscience and prohibits government interference in religious beliefs.

Symbolic speech

Nonverbal action that communicates an idea or belief.

Time, place, manner

Regulations that impose limits on the timing, location, and noise level of events.

Obscenity

Speech that offends prevailing societal morality.

Defamation

Language that harms another's reputation.

Libel

Written defamation.

Slander

Oral defamation.

Clear and present danger

Speech can be limited if it poses a danger to public safety.

Prior restraint

The government cannot censor speech before it occurs without a heavy presumption against it.

Selective incorporation

Doctrine that extends Bill of Rights protections to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment.

Due process

Government may not infringe on rights to life, liberty, or property without due process of law.

Procedural due process

Government must use fair methods when making decisions affecting constitutional rights.

Miranda rule

Accused persons must be informed of their procedural rights before interrogation.

Public safety exception

Allows unwarned interrogation to be admissible in court.

Patriot Act

Legislation enacted post-9/11 to expand law enforcement surveillance capabilities.

USA Freedom Act

Legislation intended to limit bulk collection of telecommunication data.

Exclusionary rule

Evidence obtained illegally cannot be used in court.

Substantive due process

Examines whether laws infringe on individual rights in an arbitrary manner.

Unenumerated rights

Constitutionally protected rights not explicitly listed in the Bill of Rights.

Right to privacy

Recognized right not explicitly named in the Constitution, derived from the Due Process Clause.

Griswold v. Connecticut

Supreme Court case that protected the right to privacy from government infringement.

Roe v. Wade

Extended the right to privacy to a woman's right to abortion.

Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization

Overturned Roe v. Wade, stating the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion.

Civil Rights Movement

A campaign from 1954 to 1968 to end racial segregation and discrimination.

Letter from Birmingham Jail

A letter by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. advocating for direct action against unjust laws.

Women’s Rights Movement

A campaign focusing on gender equality and discrimination in the 1960s and 1970s.

National Organization of Women (NOW)

An organization advocating for gender equality.

LGBTQ rights

Rights related to sexual orientation and gender identity, including same-sex marriage.

Pro-life movement

An anti-abortion movement based on moral beliefs regarding when life begins.

Pro-choice movement

Supports women's legal rights to choose elective abortions.

Brown v. Board of Education

Supreme Court case that declared racial segregation in schools unconstitutional.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Prohibits discrimination in public places and in employment.

Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972

Prohibits sex discrimination in federally funded education programs.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Prohibits racial discrimination in voting.

Separate but equal doctrine

Allowed for segregation as long as facilities were deemed equal.

Majority-minority districting

Creating electoral districts where racial or ethnic minorities are the majority.

Affirmative Action

Policies aimed at addressing disparities in the workplace and education.