rights and liberties

civil rights

constitutional guarantees of equal opportunity and protection such as freedom from unwarranted searches, fair trials, and the right to vote; prescriptions, or directions, for government’s power

civil liberties

freedoms guarenteed to individuals in the US constitution’s Bill of Rights that restrain or stop government from taking particular actions, thus protecting individual choicese

rational basis test

set of criteria the supreme court uses to analyze and decide court cases on types of discrimination; accuser must prove discrimination to the court

intermediate scrutiny test

set of criteria used by a court to decide if the government is discriminating on the basis of gender or sex

strict scrutiny test

rigorous set of criteria that courts use to analyze cases to see if a law or regulation is needed because of a “compelling state interest”

reconstruction

an era in US history from 165 to 1877, following the civil war; addressed the transition of slave states to non slave economies and rendered full freedom, citizenship, and equality to african americans

white flight

a phrase describing a social phenomenon occuring mainly in the 50s and 60s; the large scale migration of people who are white from racially mixed urban areas into racially homogenous suburbs

racial profiling

the act of making judgements about a person-usually negative- based solely on stereotypes about the persons race

ex post facto laws

literally meaning “from a thing done afterward” a law that applies retroactively, such as making a legal action suddenly illegal, with punishments; the US constitution prohibits congress from passing any reotroactive laws

bill of attainder

an act of legislature, such as congress, declaring a person guilty of a crime and levying a punishment, without a trial; the US constitution prohibts congress from passing any bills of attainder

thirteenth ammendment

abolished slavery

fourteenth amendment

introduced equal protection to the constitution for african americans

fifteenth ammendment

first contitutional protection on voting. It prohibited the use of race, color, or previous conditions of servitude to abridge this right.

19th ammendment

prohibts the denial of voting rights based on sex

24th amendment

prohibts the denial of voters due to a failure to pay a poll tac or any other tax

26th ammendment

prohibits the denial of voting for any person 18 or older

In which amendment does the requirement for states to respect the “privileges or immunities” of your U.S. citizenship appear?

14th

Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA):

This law was passed in 1967. It protects people 40 years of age or older. It prohibits discrimination against them in hiring, promotion, and other privileges of employment.

age discrimination act of 1975

This law prohibits discrimination based on age in programs that receive federal assistance. These include education, healthcare, housing, and rehabilitation programs.

civil rights act of 1957

prohibits intimidation or interference with voting rights based on race, color, religion, or national origin

civil rights act of 1964

outlaws discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin

voting rights act of 1965

prohibits racial discrimination in voting

fair housing act (title VIII of the civil rights act of 1968)

requires equal housing rights

disability discrimination acts

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973: This law extended civil rights to people with disabilities. It pertains specifically to education and employment. It allows for the reasonable accommodation of such persons.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): This law was passed in 1990. It prohibits discrimination based on disability. It requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities. And it created accessibility requirements for public accommodations.

gender discrimination acts

• Equal Pay Act of 1963: This law made it illegal to pay different wages to men and women who perform equal work in the same workplace. (This law was reinforced by the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009.)  

• Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964: This law made it illegal to discriminate against people on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex. It also prohibits retaliation against a person who complains about such discrimination.  

• Title IX (Education Amendments of 1972): This law addressed any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. It made it illegal to discriminate on the basis of sex. 

• Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978: This law made it illegal to discriminate against women because of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.

what does the rational basis legal doctrine permit the government to do

permits the government to distinguish between groups if the distinction has a logical basis