gov 4 and 5

civil liberties

Limitations on the power of government, designed to ensure personal freedoms.

conscientious objector

A person who claims the right to refuse to perform military service on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, or religion.

double jeopardy

A prosecution pursued twice at the same level of government for the same criminal action.

due process clause

Provisions of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments that limit government power to deny people 'life, liberty, or property' on an unfair basis.

economic liberty

The right of individuals to obtain, use, and trade things of value for their own benefit.

eminent domain

The power of government to take or use property for a public purpose after compensating its owner.

establishment clause

The provision of the First Amendment that prohibits the government from endorsing a state-sponsored religion.

exclusionary rule

A requirement that evidence obtained as a result of an illegal search or seizure cannot be used to try someone for a crime.

free exercise clause

The provision of the First Amendment that prohibits the government from regulating religious beliefs and practices.

Miranda warning

A statement by law enforcement officers informing a person arrested of that person's rights.

obscenity

Acts or statements that are extremely offensive by contemporary standards.

Patriot Act

A law passed by Congress in the wake of the 9/11 attacks to broaden federal powers to monitor electronic communications.

plea bargain

An agreement between the defendant and the prosecutor in which the defendant pleads guilty to charges in exchange for a more lenient punishment.

prior restraint

A government action that stops someone from doing something before they are able to do it.

probable cause

Legal standard for determining whether a search or seizure is constitutional.

right to privacy

The right to be free of government intrusion.

search warrant

A legal document allowing police to search and/or seize persons or property.

selective incorporation

The gradual process of making guarantees of the Bill of Rights apply to state governments.

self-incrimination

An action or statement that admits guilt or responsibility for a crime.

Sherbert test

A standard for deciding whether a law violates the free exercise clause.

symbolic speech

A form of expression that communicates an idea without words.

undue burden test

A means of deciding whether a law that restricts abortion is constitutional.

affirmative action

Programs and policies designed to assist groups historically subject to discrimination.

American Indian Movement (AIM)

A Native American civil rights group responsible for the occupation of Wounded Knee in 1973.

Black codes

Laws passed after the Civil War that discriminated against African Americans.

Brown v. Board of Education

The 1954 Supreme Court ruling declaring segregation in public education as unconstitutional.

civil disobedience

An action taken to demonstrate that a law is unjust.

comparable worth

A doctrine calling for equal pay for workers requiring the same job qualifications.

coverture

A legal status of married women where their separate legal identities are erased.

de facto segregation

Segregation that occurs due to social patterns rather than legal requirements.

de jure segregation

Segregation that results from government actions.

direct action

Civil rights campaigns that directly confronted segregation.

disenfranchisement

The revocation of someone's right to vote.

equal protection clause

A provision of the Fourteenth Amendment requiring equal treatment under the law.

Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)

A proposed amendment to prohibit discrimination based on sex.

glass ceiling

An invisible barrier preventing women from reaching top levels in organizations.

grandfather clause

A provision allowing certain individuals to bypass literacy tests based on their ancestors' voting rights.

hate crime

Criminal acts directed against someone based on biases related to identity.

intermediate scrutiny

The court standard for cases of gender discrimination.

Jim Crow laws

Laws promoting racial segregation and undermining Black voting rights post-Reconstruction.

literacy tests

Tests requiring voters to demonstrate reading comprehension, often used to disenfranchise minorities.

Plessy v. Ferguson

The 1896 ruling that allowed 'separate but equal' segregation.

poll tax

An annual tax imposed to restrict voting rights.

rational basis test

The court standard for most forms of discrimination.

Reconstruction

The period during which Confederate states were reorganized before reentry into the Union.

Stonewall Inn

A bar where the modern Gay Pride movement began after protests against police treatment.

strict scrutiny

The highest standard of judicial review used for racial discrimination cases.

Title IX

Education amendments prohibiting discrimination based on sex.

Trail of Tears

The forced migration of Cherokees from Georgia to Oklahoma.

understanding tests

Tests used to disenfranchise voters based on their ability to explain texts.

white primary

A primary election restricted to White voters.

blue law

A law created to uphold religious standards, like prohibiting Sunday alcohol sales.

civil rights

Guarantees of equal treatment by government authorities.

common-law right

A right rooted in legal tradition rather than constitutional provisions.