CLEP History Master Set

Amendment 3

Citizens do not have to house soldiers.

Amendment 8

No excessive bail or cruel punishment.

Amendment 10

Any rights not given to the federal government are given to the states and people.

Amendment 19

Women get the right to vote.

Amendment 26

18-year-olds get to vote.

Bill of Rights

The first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

First Amendment

Protects freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition.

Second Amendment

Protects the right to bear arms.

Fourth Amendment

Protects against unreasonable searches and seizures.

Fifth Amendment

Provides protection against self-incrimination and double jeopardy.

Sixth Amendment

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

Seventh Amendment

Ensures the right to a jury trial in civil cases.

Ninth Amendment

Declares that rights not specifically mentioned in the Constitution are still protected.

Tenth Amendment

Reserves powers not delegated to the federal government to the states or the people.

Fourteenth Amendment

Grants citizenship and equal protection under the law; applies the Bill of Rights to the states.

Fifteenth Amendment

Prohibits voting discrimination based on race.

Twenty-Second Amendment

Limits the President to two terms.

Twenty-Fifth Amendment

Establishes procedures for presidential succession and disability.

Twenty-Seventh Amendment

Prevents Congress from granting itself a pay raise during the current session.

Brown v. Board (1954)

Declared school segregation unconstitutional; overturned 'separate but equal.'

Baker v. Carr

Established the principle of 'one person, one vote,' requiring legislative districts to be equally populated.

Planned Parenthood v. Casey

Allowed states to regulate abortion but prohibited undue burdens.

McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)

Established national supremacy and implied powers; upheld the Necessary and Proper Clause.

Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)

Broadened the interpretation of the Commerce Clause, allowing Congress to regulate interstate commerce.

Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)

Established 'separate but equal,' upholding racial segregation.

Weeks v. United States (1914)

Established the 'Exclusionary Rule,' preventing illegally obtained evidence from being used in court.

Schenck v. United States (1919)

Established the 'clear and present danger' test, limiting free speech during wartime.

Gitlow v. New York (1925)

Incorporated the First Amendment to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment.

Near v. Minnesota (1931)

Ruled prior restraint on publication unconstitutional under the First Amendment.

Palko v. Connecticut (1937)

Determined which parts of the Bill of Rights apply to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment.

Korematsu v. United States (1944)

Uphheld internment of Japanese Americans during WWII as a wartime necessity.

Engel v. Vitale (1962)

Prohibited school-sponsored prayer in public schools.

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

Required states to provide attorneys to defendants in criminal cases.

Wesberry v. Sanders (1963)

Required Congressional districts to be approximately equal in population.

New York Times v. Sullivan (1964)

Established the 'actual malice' standard for libel cases involving public figures.

Griswold v. Connecticut (1965)

Established a right to privacy, striking down laws banning contraception.

Miranda v. Arizona (1966)

Established Miranda rights, requiring police to inform suspects of their rights.

Lemon v. Kurtzman (1971)

Created the Lemon Test to determine if a law violates the Establishment Clause.

Miller v. California (1973)

Established the 'Miller Test' to define obscenity.

Roe v. Wade (1973)

Legalized abortion within a trimester framework.

United States v. Nixon (1974)

Limited executive privilege, ruling that the President is not above the law.

Buckley v. Valeo (1976)

Protected campaign spending as free speech but allowed limits on individual contributions.

Gregg v. Georgia (1976)

Upheld the constitutionality of the death penalty.

UC Regents v. Bakke (1978)

Struck down racial quotas but upheld affirmative action.

Texas v. Johnson (1989)

Protected flag burning as symbolic speech.

Shaw v. Reno (1993)

Ruled that racial gerrymandering is unconstitutional.

United States v. Lopez (1995)

Limited Congress' use of the Commerce Clause.

Bush v. Gore (2000)

Stopped the Florida recount in the 2000 presidential election.

Zelman v. Simmons-Harris (2002)

Allowed school vouchers for religious schools.

Lawrence v. Texas (2003)

Struck down sodomy laws, extending privacy rights.

Grutter v. Bollinger (2003)

Upheld affirmative action in college admissions.

Judicial Review

Established the power of judicial review, allowing courts to strike down laws and government actions that violate the Constitution.

Iron Triangle

The relationship between interest groups, congressional committees, and bureaucratic agencies.

Judicial Activism

The belief that courts should interpret the Constitution to reflect current conditions and values.

Judicial Restraint

The belief that courts should avoid overturning laws and defer to elected officials.

Swing States

States that are closely contested in presidential elections.

Federalism

The division of power between the national and state governments.

Checks and Balances

A system ensuring that no one branch of government gains too much power.

Separation of Powers

Dividing government responsibilities among legislative, executive, and judicial branches.

Elastic Clause (Necessary and Proper Clause)

Grants Congress the power to pass laws necessary for carrying out its enumerated powers.

Commerce Clause

Grants Congress the power to regulate interstate commerce.

Full Faith and Credit Clause

Requires states to recognize public acts, records, and judicial proceedings from other states.

Privileges and Immunities Clause

Prevents states from discriminating against out-of-state citizens.

Supremacy Clause

Establishes that federal law takes precedence over state law.

Republic

A system in which representatives are elected to govern on behalf of the people.

Democracy

A system of government where power is vested in the people.

Popular Sovereignty

The idea that government derives its power from the people.

Majority Rule

The principle that the greater number should exercise greater power.

Tyranny of the Majority

The potential for the majority to oppress minority groups.

Political Socialization

The process by which individuals acquire their political beliefs and values.

Interest Groups

Organizations that seek to influence government policy.

Political Action Committees (PACs)

Groups that raise money to support candidates and policies.

Lobbying

The act of attempting to influence decisions made by government officials.

Filibuster

A tactic used in the Senate to delay a vote by extending debate.

Pork Barrel Spending

Government spending that benefits a specific district or state.

Earmarks

Provisions in a bill that direct funds to specific projects.

Logrolling

The practice of legislators exchanging votes to gain mutual benefits.

Reapportionment

The process of redistributing House seats based on census results.

Pocket Veto

When the President takes no action on a bill and Congress adjourns, effectively vetoing it.

Spoils System

The practice of awarding government jobs to political supporters.

Merit System

Hiring government employees based on ability rather than political connections.

Pendleton Civil Service Act (1883)

Established a merit-based system for hiring government employees.

Sunshine Laws

Require government meetings and records to be open to the public.

Writ of Certiorari

An order by the Supreme Court to lower courts to send a case record for review.

Due Process Clause

Protects against arbitrary denial of life, liberty, or property.

Selective Incorporation

The gradual application of the Bill of Rights to the states case by case.

Executive Privilege

The right of the President to withhold information from Congress or the courts.

Cloture

A Senate rule that ends a filibuster with a three-fifths majority vote.

Closed Primary

A primary election where only registered party members can vote.

Hatch Act (1939)

A law that restricts the political activities of government employees.

Whistleblower Protection Act

A law that protects government employees who expose misconduct.

Executive Orders

Directives issued by the President that carry the weight of law without requiring congressional approval.

Presidential Signing Statements

Statements issued by the President when signing a bill into law, often to express concerns or interpretations.

Title IX (1972)

A law that prohibits gender discrimination in education programs receiving federal funding.

Symbolic Speech

Nonverbal expressions of opinion, such as flag burning, protected under the 1st Amendment.

Bureaucratic Discretion

The ability of bureaucrats to make decisions on how to implement policies.

Administrative Procedure Act (1946)

Requires federal agencies to follow standardized procedures when making regulations.

Office of Management and Budget (OMB)

The executive agency responsible for preparing the federal budget and monitoring federal spending.

Congressional Budget Office (CBO)

A federal agency that provides nonpartisan analysis of the economy and budget for Congress.

Government Accountability Office (GAO)

An agency that monitors government spending and efficiency.