Terms to know

Civil Liberties

Constitutional protections against government actions (e.g., Bill of Rights).

Due Process of Law

Government must follow fair procedures before depriving life, liberty, or property (5th & 14th Amendments).

Free Exercise Clause

Right to practice religion freely (1st Amendment), with some limitations.

Right to Privacy

Not explicitly stated; derived from 'penumbras' in several amendments (1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 9th, 14th).

Clear and Present Danger

Doctrine allowing speech to be restricted if it presents immediate danger, originating from Schenck v. United States.

Establishment Clause

Government cannot establish an official religion or favor one (1st Amendment).

Miranda Rights

Rights read to criminal suspects, including the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney.

Selective Incorporation

Applying the Bill of Rights to the states gradually via the 14th Amendment's Due Process Clause.

Double Jeopardy

Prohibits being tried twice for the same offense (5th Amendment).

Exclusionary Rule

Illegally obtained evidence cannot be used in court (4th Amendment).

Prior Restraint

Government action preventing material from being published; largely unconstitutional as ruled by New York Times Co. v. U.S.

Symbolic Speech

Nonverbal communication (e.g., armbands, burning flags) protected by the 1st Amendment.

Affirmative Action

Policies to address past discrimination by giving advantages to underrepresented groups.

De Facto Segregation

Segregation based on custom or practice (not officially sanctioned by law).

De Jure Segregation

Segregation enforced by law.

Grandfather Clause

Allowed those whose ancestors voted before a certain date to skip voter requirements; aimed to disenfranchise Black voters.

Title IX (Title 9)

Prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded education programs.

Civil Rights

Protections from discrimination; aims for equal treatment under the law.

Jim Crow Laws

State/local laws enforcing racial segregation in the South.

Separate but Equal Doctrine

Established by Plessy v. Ferguson (1896); later overturned by Brown v. Board of Education.

Literacy Test

Used to disenfranchise Black voters by imposing unfair testing standards.

Equal Protection Clause (14th Amendment)

Prohibits states from denying any person equal protection of the laws.

Poll Tax

Fee required to vote; used to prevent Black citizens and poor people from voting.

White Primary

Primary elections in which only white voters were allowed to participate.