Civil Rights and Citizenship Notes

Obligations of Citizenship

  • Citizens' obligations include obeying laws and paying taxes.
  • Citizens are also obligated to serve on juries and participate in civic life.
  • Agreement that these obligations keep the country safe and running smoothly.

Civil Liberties & Civil Rights

  • Civil Rights: Basic rights to be treated equally and fairly under the law.
  • Sources of Civil Rights: U.S. Constitution and federal laws.
  • Historically focused on ending slavery and discrimination; now includes gender, religion, age, and sexuality.

Key Terms

  • Prejudice: Negative opinion or feeling about someone without knowing them.
  • Racism: Belief that some races are superior and others are inferior.
  • Reservation: (The definition is missing.)
  • Japanese American Internment: Forced relocation and imprisonment of Japanese Americans in camps during World War II by the U.S. Government.

Amendments Ratified After the Civil War

  • 13th Amendment: Abolishes slavery.
  • 14th Amendment: Grants citizenship.
  • 15th Amendment: Prohibits federal and state governments from denying the right to vote.

Discrimination and Denial of Civil Rights

  • Racial and Ethnic Groups:
    • Faced Jim Crow laws.
    • Denied access to public facilities.
    • Victims of prejudice.
    • Faced discrimination and were denied voting rights.
    • Fought for equal treatment.
  • Women:
    • Denied voting rights until the 19th Amendment.
    • Traditionally confined to domestic roles.
    • Faced sexism.
    • Participated in civil rights movements for equality.
    • Experienced inequality in marriage.

Equal Protection

Key Terms

  • Equal Protection Clause: 14th Amendment provision requiring states to treat all individuals equally under the law.
  • Segregation: Enforced separation of different racial groups.
  • Jim Crow Laws: Local laws in the South that enforced racial segregation.
  • Separate-but-Equal Doctrine: Established in Plessy vs. Ferguson (1896), allowed racial segregation as long as facilities for both races were equal.
  • Suffrage: The right to vote in political elections.
  • Seneca Falls Convention: Women's rights meeting in 1848 in New York, advocating for equal rights and voting rights for women.
  • De Jure Segregation: Racial separation enforced by law.
  • De Facto Segregation: (Definition missing)

Court Interpretation of the Equal Protection Clause

  • Rational Basis Test: Used for laws that don't involve race.
  • Intermediate Scrutiny Test: Used for cases involving gender discrimination.
  • Strict Scrutiny Test: Used for laws involving race or fundamental rights.

Events Leading to Legalized Segregation in the South

  • Jim Crow laws
  • Plessy vs. Ferguson case

Key Events in the Fight for Women's Suffrage

  • Formation of suffrage groups
  • 19th Amendment
  • Seneca Falls Convention

Brown vs. Board of Education

  • Brown vs. Board of Education (1954) overturned Plessy vs. Ferguson.
  • Ruled segregation was inherently unequal.
  • Schools closed to prevent desegregation.
  • The Civil Rights Act of 1964 helped to begin ending segregation.

Civil Rights Movement

Key Terms

  • Civil Disobedience: Breaking unfair laws to protest injustice peacefully.
  • Civil Rights Movement: 1950s-60s movement fought for African Americans to have rights and end segregation and discrimination.
  • Poll Tax: Fee people had to pay to vote, used to prevent African Americans from voting.
  • Affirmative Action: Policies to help groups who faced discrimination get fair chances in jobs/education.

Key Events of the Early Civil Rights Movement

  • Brown vs. Board of Education (1954)
  • Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955-1956)
  • Little Rock Nine (1957)
  • Sit-ins (1960)

Impact of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" Speech

  • Gave people hope.
  • Reminded people of their right to be treated fairly and equally.

Civil Disobedience

  • Justified when the government makes unfair laws that hurts people.

Major Civil Rights Laws

  • Civil Rights Act of 1964: Ended segregation and job discrimination.
  • Voting Rights Act of 1965: Protected the right to vote.
  • Fair Housing Act of 1968: Stopped housing discrimination.

Extension of Civil Rights to Other Groups

  • Women: Gained more equal rights at work/school.
  • Hispanics: Fought for fair pay and better schools.
  • Native Americans: Gained more control over their land/rights.
  • People with Disabilities: Obtained laws to protect them in jobs, schools, and public settings.

Affirmative Action

  • Aims to address the effects of past discrimination.
  • Racial preference in employment or admission practices can be viewed as unfair to those who aren't chosen.

Citizenship

Key Terms

  • Jus Soli: Citizenship by birth in a country's land.
  • Jus Sanguinis: (Definition is missing)
  • Naturalization: The legal process when a non-citizen becomes a citizen.

U.S. Citizenship

  • Includes the right to vote, work, and live in the country.
  • Obligations include obeying laws and serving on juries.

Ways to Receive U.S. Citizenship

  • Birthright (jus soli)
  • Descent (jus sanguinis)
  • Naturalization

Civic Obligations vs. Civic Responsibilities

  • Obligations: Obeying laws, paying taxes, serving on juries.
  • Responsibilities: Voting and staying informed.

Changes in Immigration Policy

  • Changed due to economic needs and national security concerns.
  • Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) focused on border control.

Debate Over Illegal Immigration

  • Proponents: Argue for ways for undocumented immigrants to obtain citizenship.
  • Opponents: Concerned about job competition, national security, and rule of law.

Criteria for Naturalization

  • Residing in the U.S. for a period of time.

Challenges in Solving Illegal Immigration

  • Illegal immigrants take jobs, but businesses depend on their labor, making it hard to limit.

14th Amendment Citizenship Clause

  • Anyone born under U.S. jurisdiction is a U.S. citizen.
  • Helped people who were not previously considered citizens to be seen as citizens.