Unit 9 Exam Study Guide - Civil Rights and Interest Groups

Flashcards covering the Unit 9 Exam Study Guide topics including the Civil Rights Movement and the definition and function of Interest Groups in America.

Greensboro sit-in

A 1960 nonviolent protest starting at a segregated Woolworth’s lunch counter in North Carolina that launched a nationwide sit-in movement.

Collective goods

Benefits that are provided to all members of a group or society regardless of contribution, such as clean air or public safety.

Montgomery Bus Boycott

A massive 1955-1956 civil rights protest where African Americans refused to ride city buses in Montgomery, Alabama, to protest segregated seating.

Freedom Riders 1961 goal

To challenge and test the non-enforcement of Supreme Court rulings that declared segregated interstate buses and facilities unconstitutional.

Inside lobbying

Tactics involving direct contact with public officials, such as testifying in hearings or providing information to lawmakers.

Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007

Legislation that strengthened lobbying regulations by increasing disclosure requirements and restricting gifts and travel for members of Congress.

Single-issue groups

Interest groups that focus their attention and resources on a single, specific political or social concern.

SNCC

The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, an organization formed in 1960 to give younger activists a larger role in the civil rights movement.

Federalist Paper No. 10 (James Madison)

An essay arguing that a large republic would prevent any single interest group, or faction, from dominating the political system.

March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom

A massive 1963 demonstration advocating for civil rights and economic opportunity, where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech.

Private interests

Interest groups that seek benefits specifically for their own members rather than the general public, such as business or labor groups.

PAC contribution limit (Single party)

Multi-candidate Political Action Committees are limited to contributing $15,000$ per year to a single national political party committee.

Interest group committee focus

Interest groups target relevant committees because they are where legislation is drafted and where members have the most influence over specific policy areas.

Garner v. Louisiana (1961)

A Supreme Court case that overturned the disturbing the peace convictions of students participating in lunch counter sit-ins, protecting the right to protest.

Sweatt v. Painter (1950)

A Supreme Court case that challenged the "separate but equal" doctrine by ruling that a segregated law school for African Americans was not equal to the University of Texas Law School.

Outside lobbying

Tactics that seek to influence government by mobilizing public opinion and encouraging citizens to contact their representatives.

Social capital

The collective value of social networks and the inclinations that arise from these networks to do things for each other, facilitating political participation.

Hashtag activism

The use of social media platforms to gain attention for social or political causes, simplifying mobilization for interest groups.

Corporate advantage in politics

Large corporations often possess greater financial resources and expertise, allowing for more sustained and professional lobbying efforts.

Public interest groups

Groups that seek to achieve goals for the collective good rather than just the benefit of their own members.

Little Rock Central High School (1957)

President Dwight D. Eisenhower sent federal troops to enforce integration and protect the "Little Rock Nine" after the Arkansas governor blocked their entry.

Super PACs

Independent expenditure-only committees that can raise unlimited sums from corporations and unions to support political activity but cannot coordinate with candidates.

Primary goal of interest groups

The fundamental objective is to influence government policy and decision-making to align with their specific interests.

PACs (Political Action Committees)

Organizations formed by interest groups to collect money and provide financial support to political candidates.

Bryant and Milam Trial Verdict

In 1955, an all-white jury found Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam "not guilty" of the murder of Emmett Till, despite overwhelming evidence.

Iron triangle

The symbiotic relationship between a congressional committee, an executive-branch agency, and an interest group to control policy.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

A landmark Supreme Court case ruling that "separate educational facilities are inherently unequal," ordering the desegregation of public schools.

Citizens United v. FEC (2010)

A Supreme Court ruling that permitted unlimited spending by unions and corporations on independent political broadcasts, leading to the rise of super PACs.

Double V Campaign

A World War II effort by African Americans to achieve victory over fascism abroad and victory over racism at home.

First Amendment Rights

Constitutional protections that include freedom of speech, religion, the press, assembly, and the right to petition the government.

Buckley v. Valeo (1976)

A Supreme Court case establishing that spending money to influence elections is a protected form of free speech.

Morgan v. Virginia (1946)

A Supreme Court ruling that struck down state laws requiring segregation on interstate buses as an unconstitutional burden on commerce.

Southern Manifesto

A 1956 document signed by 101 members of Congress asserting the Supreme Court abused its power in the Brown v. Board of Education ruling.

Lobbying expenditure disclosure

Mandatory reporting of spending intended to increase transparency and allow the public to see who is attempting to influence government policy.

Associations

Groups of institutions, such as businesses or industries, that join together to lobby for common interests.