Political Science 1101: Civil Rights

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to civil rights, civil liberties, and major amendments and legislation in U.S. history.

Civil Rights

Freedoms that require governmental action to be safeguarded.

Civil Liberties

Freedoms that the government should not take away from individuals.

Reconstruction

Period following the Civil War during which the federal government took action to rebuild and reform the Southern states.

Thirteenth Amendment

Formally abolishes slavery.

Fourteenth Amendment

Prohibits states from depriving any person of life, liberty, or property without due process, and ensures equal protection under the law.

Fifteenth Amendment

Guarantees the right to vote regardless of race.

Jim Crow Laws

Local laws that enforced racial segregation and circumvented the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments.

Poll Taxes

Taxes levied on individuals registering to vote, mainly used to disenfranchise African-American voters.

Literacy Tests

Tests issued to potential voters to prove their literacy, often used to restrict voting rights.

Grandfather Clauses

Exemptions that allowed individuals to bypass literacy tests and poll taxes if their grandfathers had been eligible to vote.

Brown v. Board of Education

Supreme Court case that declared the doctrine of 'separate but equal' unconstitutional.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Legislation that authorized the federal government to end segregation in public education and accommodations.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

Legislation that allowed the federal government to suspend restrictive electoral laws in states with a history of low black turnout.

Title VII

Part of the Civil Rights Act that prohibits discrimination in education.

The Family and Medical Leave Act (1993)

Law that protects employees from being fired or demoted due to family medical emergencies.

Civil Rights

These are positive rights that require governmental action to ensure that all citizens are treated equally under the law, preventing discrimination. Examples include the right to vote, the right to a fair trial, and the right to public education without segregation. Governmental actions often involve legislation, enforcement, and judicial rulings to guarantee these freedoms for all.

Civil Liberties

These are negative rights or fundamental freedoms that the government generally should not infringe upon. They are typically protected by the Bill of Rights and include freedoms like speech, religion, assembly, the press, and protection from unreasonable searches and seizures. They focus on individual autonomy and limiting government power.

Reconstruction Era

This historically critical period, lasting roughly from 1865 to 1877 following the Civil War, focused on rebuilding the Southern states, readmitting them to the Union, and integrating newly freed slaves into society. Key actions included establishing the Freedman's Bureau, passing the Reconstruction Amendments, and temporarily imposing federal military rule in the South.

Thirteenth Amendment

Ratified in 1865, this amendment formally abolished slavery and involuntary servitude in the United States, except as a punishment for a crime. It marked a crucial turning point, ending the institution that had divided the nation for centuries.

Fourteenth Amendment

Ratified in 1868 during Reconstruction, this amendment has several key clauses:

1. Citizenship Clause: Grants citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the U.S.
2. Privileges or Immunities Clause: Intended to protect fundamental rights.
3. Due Process Clause: Prohibits states from depriving any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. This clause is central to applying most of the Bill of Rights to the states (selective incorporation).
4. Equal Protection Clause: Guarantees that all citizens receive equal protection of the laws, serving as a basis for later civil rights legislation.

Fifteenth Amendment

Ratified in 1870, this amendment prohibits the federal and state governments from denying a citizen the right to vote based on "race, color, or previous condition of servitude." While a landmark achievement, its intent was often circumvented by discriminatory practices like poll taxes and literacy tests for nearly a century.

Jim Crow Laws

A system of state and local laws enacted primarily in the Southern and some border states from the late 19th to the mid-20th centuries. These laws enforced racial segregation in all public facilities, from schools and transportation to restrooms and restaurants, under the doctrine of 'separate but equal.' They effectively disenfranchised and marginalized African Americans despite the protections of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments.

Poll Taxes

These were fees required to register to vote, predominantly used in Southern states after Reconstruction. They effectively disenfranchised poor African Americans and some poor whites, as many could not afford the tax. The 24th Amendment outlawed poll taxes in federal elections in 1964, and the Supreme Court banned them in state elections in 1966.

Literacy Tests

A voting qualification typically administered to prospective voters in the South, these tests often included complex questions about state constitutions or obscure historical facts. They were applied discriminatorily; African Americans were frequently given harder tests or evaluated more harshly than white applicants, serving to restrict their voting rights. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 largely banned their use.

Grandfather Clauses

Enacted in Southern states, these clauses were designed to exempt many white voters from literacy tests and poll taxes. They stipulated that individuals could vote if their grandfathers had been eligible to vote before 1866 or 1867. This effectively excluded African Americans, whose grandfathers had largely been enslaved and denied the right to vote before those dates, thus maintaining white voter privilege.

Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

A landmark 1954 Supreme Court case that unanimously declared state-sponsored segregation in public schools unconstitutional. This ruling explicitly overturned the 'separate but equal' doctrine established in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) as it applied to education, signaling the beginning of the end for Jim Crow laws and sparking the modern Civil Rights Movement.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

A pivotal piece of U.S. legislation signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson. It outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in public accommodations (e.g., hotels, restaurants), employment practices, and federally funded programs. It significantly bolstered the federal government's power to enforce desegregation.

Voting Rights Act of 1965

This landmark federal legislation aimed to overcome legal barriers at the state and local levels that prevented African Americans from exercising their right to vote guaranteed by the 15th Amendment. It banned literacy tests, authorized federal oversight of voter registration in areas with a history of discrimination, and introduced a "preclearance" provision requiring certain jurisdictions to get federal approval before changing voting laws.

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

Prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in any program or activity that receives federal financial assistance. This means that entities like schools, hospitals, and social welfare programs cannot discriminate if they receive federal funds.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

This crucial section of the Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination by employers based on race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), or national origin. It established the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to investigate complaints and enforce its provisions, ensuring fair hiring, promotion, and working conditions.

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972

Prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. This has significantly impacted collegiate athletics, opportunities for women in STEM fields, and addressing sexual harassment and assault in educational settings.

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) (1993)

A U.S. federal law allowing eligible employees of covered employers to take up to 12 workweeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year for specific family and medical reasons, such as the birth or adoption of a child, or caring for oneself or a close family member with a serious health condition. Employees are guaranteed the same or an equivalent job upon their return.