Government Unit 4

What are Civil Liberties?

Civil liberties are rights that people have because they are human, often considered God-given.

What are some examples of Civil Liberties?

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

What are Civil Rights?

Rights that come from the social contract and are granted by the government; they can be changed.

What does the term 'Bills of Attainder' refer to?

Legislative acts that punish individuals without a trial.

What are Ex Post Facto Laws?

Laws that retroactively punish individuals for actions that were legal at the time they were performed.

What is Writ of Habeas Corpus?

The right to a speedy trial to challenge unlawful detention.

Who was Ex Parte Milligan (1866) and what does it illustrate?

A case illustrating the abuse of civil liberties, where individuals were imprisoned without trial.

What was Alexander Hamilton's view on the Bill of Rights?

He believed that the Bill of Rights was unnecessary.

Who advocated for the Bill of Rights and why?

Anti-federalists pushed for the Bill of Rights to protect individual liberties against the federal government.

What was the initial scope of the Bill of Rights?

Initially, it only limited the federal government, not the states.

What is due process?

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

What is the difference between civil liberties and civil rights?

Civil liberties protect individuals from government overreach, while civil rights ensure equal treatment under the law.

What is the First Amendment?

An amendment that protects freedoms concerning religion, expression, assembly, and the right to petition.

What does 'equal protection under the law' mean?

A principle that states all individuals must be treated equally in the eyes of the law.

What is the significance of the 14th Amendment?

It granted citizenship and equal protection under the law to all individuals born or naturalized in the U.S.

What role does the Supreme Court play in civil liberties?

The Supreme Court interprets the Constitution and can strike down laws that violate civil liberties.

What are privacy rights?

Rights that protect individuals from government intrusion into their personal lives.

What is the significance of the landmark case Roe v. Wade?

A Supreme Court case that established a woman's legal right to have an abortion under the right to privacy.

What does 'freedom of speech' protect?

The right to express one's opinions without censorship, restraint, or legal penalty.

What is the concept of 'checks and balances'?

A system that ensures that no one branch of government becomes too powerful