8 - Civil Rights

Question 1

What are civil rights & liberties?

Answer 1

Civil: Protections for a certain group against discrimination
Liberties: Individual privileges given through the Constitution or legislation

Question 2

Methods of protection?

Answer 2

1) Entrenched Constitution
2) Bill of Rights
3) Subsequent amendments

Question 3

Landmark Supreme Court Rulings?

Answer 3

1) Brown v Board 1954
2) Loving v Virginia 1967
3) Roe v Wade 1973
4) DC v Heller 2008
5) Obergefell v Hodges 2015

Question 4

Role of Pressure Groups?

Answer 4

• Represent movements
• Raise funds and campaign
• Backed by 1st Amendment

Question 5

Key Pressure Group Examples?

Answer 5

1) NAACP - Funded Brown v Board, helped organise March on Washington 1963, Lobbied for Civil Rights Act
2) NRA - Spent $30m on Trump 2016, 98% 2020 funding for Republicans
3) American Civil Liberties Association - Supported Brown v Board, Roe v Wade and 400 lawsuits against Trump

Question 6

Impact of Civil Rights on US politics?

Answer 6

1) Civil Rights Movement
2) Affirmative Action
3) Voting Rights
4) BLM

Question 7

Similarities in protection between the US and UK?

Answer 7

• Both passed legislation to protect rights
• Clear parts of Constitution expressing citizens’ rights
• Rule of law and judicial independence

Question 8

Differences in protection between the US and UK?

Answer 8

• Entrenchment
• “Quasi-legislative” SCOTUS
• Power of Supreme Courts to strike down laws

Question 9

How does structural theory impact the protection of Civil Rights?

Answer 9

1) Entrenched Constitution
2) Sovereignty differences
3) Difference in campaign finance rules

Question 10

How does rational theory impact the protection of Civil Rights?

Answer 10

1) Many campaigns stem from infringement
2) Differences in leadership

Question 11

How does cultural theory impact the protection of Civil Rights?

Answer 11

1) Rule of Law
2) “Culture War”
3) Rise of alt-right
4) US more religious