AP Gov - Unit 1

27 Amendments, Notable Court Cases, and Key Terms

Bill of Rights

First 10 amendments to the US Constitution

1st Amendment

Freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly, and petition

2nd Amendment

Right to bear arms

3rd Amendment

Prohibits quartering of soldiers in homes during peacetime

4th Amendment

Protects against unreasonable searches and seizures

5th Amendment

Protects against double jeopardy, self-incrimination, and deprivation of life, liberty, or property without due process

6th Amendment

Right to a speedy trial, jury trial, and attorney

7th Amendment

Right to a jury trial in civil cases

8th Amendment

Prohibits excessive bail, fines, and cruel and unusual punishment

9th Amendment

Protects non-enumerated rights

10th Amendment

Reserves powers not granted to the federal government to the states or people

11th Amendment

Limits federal court jurisdiction in suits against states

12th Amendment

Modifies the electoral college process, electors must cast separate votes for president and vice president

13th Amendment

Abolishes slavery

14th Amendment

Guarantees citizenship, due process, and equal protection

15th Amendment

Grants African American men the right to vote

16th Amendment

Authorizes federal income tax

17th Amendment

Allows for direct election of senators

18th Amendment

Prohibits the sale of alcohol (Prohibition)

19th Amendment

Grants women the right to vote

20th Amendment

Sets terms for President, Vice President, and Congress; establishes succession

21st Amendment

Repeals Prohibition

22nd Amendment

Limits presidents to two terms

23rd Amendment

Grants the District of Columbia electoral votes

24th Amendment

Prohibits poll taxes

25th Amendment

Addresses presidential succession and disability

26th Amendment

Lowers the voting age to 18

27th Amendment

Limits congressional pay raises during a session

Marbury v. Madison

Established the power of judicial review

Gibbons v. Ogden

Federal government has power to regulate interstate commerce

Barron v. Baltimore

Bill of Rights only restricts the powers of the federal government not the state governments

Gitlow v. New York

Government can limit speech that threatens national security

Lemon v. Kurtzman

Government aid to religious schools must have a secular purpose

Zelman v. Simmons-Harris

Government vouchers for private schools, including religious ones, are constitutional

Engel v. Vitale

School-sponsored prayer in public schools is unconstitutional

School District of Abington Township v. Schempp

Bible readings in public schools are unconstitutional

Near v. Minnesota

Government cannot censor the press in advance

Schenck v. United States

Speech can be limited if it presents a clear and present danger

Obscenity

Material not protected by the First Amendment

Prurient interests

Sexual desires or interests

Libel

False statement damaging a person's reputation

Flag burning

Protected symbolic speech

Search warrant

Authorization to search premises

Exclusionary rule

Illegally obtained evidence cannot be used in court

Miranda rights

Rights read to suspects before questioning

Gideon's right

Right to a lawyer if cannot afford one

Death penalty

Not inherently cruel and unusual punishment

Racial bias

Prejudice based on race

Abortion rights

Protected under the Constitution

Undue burden

Standard for evaluating restrictions on abortion

Slave rights

No rights as a citizen if escaped to a free state

Segregation

Separation of races

Equal protection

Guarantee under the Fourteenth Amendment

Discrimination

Unfair treatment based on characteristics

Legal segregation

Ended by Brown v. Board of Education

Hispanic protection

Extended by Hernandez v. Texas

United States (1944)

A 1944 Supreme Court decision upholding the internment of Americans of Japanese descent during World War II.

Reed v. Reed (1971)

Landmark 1971 case where the Supreme Court upheld a claim of gender discrimination.

Craig v. Boren (1976)

1976 ruling establishing the 'intermediate scrutiny' standard for gender discrimination.

Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978)

1978 decision allowing race consideration in admissions but not setting aside spots for specific racial groups.

Adarand Constructors v. Pena (1995)

1995 decision deeming race-based federal programs unconstitutional.

Scott v. Sandford (1857)

1857 ruling denying rights to escaped slaves in free states.

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

1896 decision justifying segregation under 'separate but equal.'

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

1954 decision deeming school segregation unconstitutional.

Hernandez v. Texas (1954)

1954 decision extending discrimination protection to Hispanics.

Korematsu v. United States (1944)

1944 decision upholding internment of Japanese Americans during WWII.

Constitution

A nation's fundamental law establishing political institutions, powers, and citizen guarantees.

Unwritten

Can be either written or unwritten

Supersedes

Ordinary law

Individual rights

Guaranteed by constitutional law

Checks on power

Allow for decentralization and guarantee individual rights

Declaration of Independence

Formal document declaring independence of American colonies from Great Britain

Natural Rights

Basic freedoms every person is born with

Consent of the Governed

Government gets power from people and rules with their approval

Limited Government

Government with rules limiting its power to protect people's rights

Articles of Confederation

First set of rules for governing the US after independence

Shays' Rebellion

Protest showing weakness of government under Articles of Confederation

U.S. Constitution

Set of rules governing the US today, replaced Articles of Confederation

Factions

Groups working together with similar ideas to achieve goals

New Jersey Plan

Organized US government with equal state power

Virginia Plan

Organized US government with power based on state population

Connecticut Compromise

Combined New Jersey and Virginia Plans to create current government

Writ of Habeas Corpus

Legal document protecting people from unfair imprisonment

Separation of Powers

Government divided into legislative, executive, and judicial branches

Checks and Balances

System where each government part limits power of others

Republic

Government where people elect representatives to make decisions

Federalists

Supporters of the US Constitution and strong federal government

Anti-Federalists

Opponents of the US Constitution wanting more state power

Federalist Papers

Essays explaining and defending the US Constitution

Equal Rights Amendment

Proposed change guaranteeing equal rights for women

Judicial Review

Power of Supreme Court to decide law constitutionality

Federalism

System with shared power between federal and state governments

Unitary Governments

Centralized power with no power sharing

Intergovernmental Relations

Cooperation among federal, state, and local governments

Supremacy Clause

Federal law highest, overrides state law in conflicts

Tenth Amendment

Powers not federal belong to states or people

Maryland

Famous court case establishing implied powers of the federal government

Enumerated Powers

Specific powers listed in the federal Constitution

Implied Powers

Inferred powers to carry out enumerated powers at the federal level

Elastic Clause

Also known as the Necessary and Proper Clause, grants Congress the power to make laws needed to execute its other powers