AP GOV Unit 3

• Civil Rights Cases (1883)


  A landmark Supreme Court case that held that the 14th Amendment's equal protection clause does not prohibit private discrimination, only government discrimination.
• Nineteenth Amendment


  The 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which granted women the right to vote.
• Fifteenth Amendment


  The 15th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which granted African American men the right to vote.
• Fourteenth Amendment


  The 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which granted citizenship to former slaves, prohibited states from denying equal protection of the laws to any person, and established the doctrine of due process.
• Thirteenth Amendment


  The 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which abolished slavery and involuntary servitude.
• Exclusionary Rule


  A legal doctrine that prohibits law enforcement from using evidence obtained through unlawful searches or seizures, in order to prevent wrongful convictions and uphold the integrity of the criminal justice system.
• Bill of Attainder


  A law that punishes an individual or group without trial or due process. (prohibited by article I)
• Ex Post Facto Law


  A law that retroactively makes an action illegal that was legal when it was taken, or increases the punishment for an offense that was committed before the law was passed.
• Writ of Habeas Corpus


  A legal document used to challenge the government's detention or imprisonment of a person, requiring the government to provide proof of the person's detention and explain the grounds for the detention.
• Fighting Words


  Speech that is likely to provoke an immediate response, such as violence or intimidation. (not protected by the first amendment)
• Libel


  The act of making a false and damaging statement about someone's reputation, usually in writing or in a published medium.
• Slander


  The act of making a false and damaging statement about someone's reputation.
• Hate Speech


  Speech that is intended to offend, intimidate, or incite hatred or violence against a particular group of people based on their race, religion, ethnicity, or other protected characteristics. (Protected by the first amendment)
• Symbolic Speech


  Speech that is intended to convey a message or idea, rather than to facilitate communication. Examples of symbolic speech include protests, demonstrations, and art.
• Prior Restraint


  The practice of silencing or restricting a publication/speech before it occurs, often used during times of war or national crisis.
• Clear and Present Danger


  A legal doctrine used to determine whether a government can restrict speech or other expressive activities. The doctrine holds that the government can restrict speech that poses a clear and present danger to public safety or national security.
• Lemon Test


  A three-part test used by the Supreme Court to determine whether a government action violates the Establishment Clause. The test asks whether:

  
  

  1. The government action has a secular legislative purpose.
  2. The government action has a primary effect of advancing or inhibiting religion.
  3. The government action fosters an excessive government entanglement with religion.
• Free Exercise Clause


  A provision in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution that prohibits the government from interfering with an individual's freedom to exercise their religion.
• Establishment Clause


  A provision in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution that prohibits the government from making a law respecting the establishment of religion.
• Selective Incorporation


  The process by which the Supreme Court has applied the Bill ofRights to the states, selectively choosing which rights to apply and which to leave up to state law.
• Incorporation Doctrine


  A legal doctrine that holds that the protections of the Bill of Rights apply not only to the federal government, but also to the states, through the 14th Amendment's due process clause.
• Due Process


  The requirement that the government act fairly and impartially when dealing with individuals, including the right to a trial by jury, the right to confront and challenge witnesses, and the right to have a lawyer present during legal proceedings.
• Bill of Rights


  The first ten amendments to the United States Constitution, which outline specific individual rights and freedoms protected by the government. The Bill of Rights includes guarantees such as freedom of speech, the right to bear arms, and the right to a fair trial.
• Civil Rights


  Those rights and freedoms inherent in a person's status as a citizen, which the government has a duty to protect and ensure. Civil rights can include the right to vote, the right to participate in the political process, and the right to equal protection under the law.
• Civil Liberties


  The individual rights and freedoms protected by the Constitution and laws of the United States, including the right to free speech, assembly, and religion, as well as the right to be free from government interference with one's personal life.
• NAACP


  The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, a civil rights organization founded in 1909 to advance the rights of African Americans and other minority groups.
• Civil Rights Act of 1964


  A federal law in the United States that prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, and enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
• De Jure Discrimination


  Discrimination that is enforced by law or statute
• De Facto Discrimination


  Discrimination that is not necessarily legislative, but still exists and has a significant impact on a particular group of people, often due to societal norms or attitudes.
• NOW


  The National Organization for Women, a women's rights organization founded in 1966 to advance the rights of women.
• Equal Rights Amendment


  A proposed amendment to the United States Constitution that would guarantee equal rights for women.
• Strict Scrutiny


  A legal standard of review used by courts to evaluate the constitutionality of government actions, which requires the government to show a compelling reason for the action and that it is narrowly tailored to achieve its goal.
• Equal Pay Act of 1963


  A federal law in the United States that prohibits employers from paying different wages to men and women who perform the same work, unless the difference is based on a legitimate business factor.
• Title IX


  A federal law in the United States that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in educational institutions that receive federal funding.
• Affirmative Action


  A policy or program that aims to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion by providing benefits or advantages to historically disadvantaged groups, such as racial and ethnic minorities, women, and individuals with disabilities.
• Equal Protection Clause

  A provision of the Fourteenth Amendment that guarantees that all laws and government actions must treat all individuals equally and fairly, without discriminating against or favoring any particular group of people.