Exam 1 Review Flashcards
(23 cards)
Civil Liberties
The freedoms guaranteed to all citizens by the constitution where the government can’t intervene (1st amendment, 2nd amendment)
Civil rights
Rights that come from federal law and statutes that protect you against discrimination; protect people from racism, gender disability from fellow citizens or businesses
Jim Crow Laws
Introduced in the south to keep black people from being in the economy and southern society; Designed to segregate black Americans (poll taxes, literacy tests,)
Brown v Board of Education
Decided in 1954; held that separate but equal schools violated the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment
Plessy v. Ferguson
Established doctrine of separate but equal in 1896
13th Amendment
Abolished Slavery; making it illegal in all states and permanently outlawed slavery throughout the country “no slavery nor involuntary servitude”
14th amendment
Crucial in ensuring that free African Americans had full citizenship rights and became the foundation in many civil rights cases
15th amendment
Prohibited racial discrimination in voting; ensuring that black men had the legal right to vote (southern states later tried to suppress)
The Civil Rights Act of 1964
Signed into law by Lyndon Johnson and it outlawed discrimination in public places, provided for the integration of schools and other public facilities, and made employment discrimination illegal
Citizenship Clause (14th)
Grants U.S. citizenship to anyone born or naturalized in the country, including formerly enslaved people.
Due Process Clause (14th)
Protects individuals from state governments infringing on fundamental rights without fair legal procedures
Equal Protection Clause (14th)
Requires states to provide equal protection under the law to all people
Articles of confederation
First governing document of the U.S.; later replaced by the Constitution (ratified 1781)
State power: each state had one vote regardless of size or population
Weaknesses: No power to tax or regulate trade and amendments required unanimous approval
Unicameral Legislature
One house, no separate executive or judiciary
Virginia Plan
Strong national government, wanted a larger more populous states, based on population or financial contributions, single executive chosen by legislature, bicameral (2 houses)
New Jersey Plan
States’ rights protection, smaller states benefit, National judiciary appointed by executives, equal representation (one vote per state), unicameral (1 house)
The Great Compromise (1787)
Resolved the dispute between large smaller states over legislative representation and proposed by Roger Sherman
Key agreement: Bicameral legislature; House of Representatives which served large states and a Senate which served smaller states
The Constitution (ratified 1788)
Establishes the structure of the U.S. government, the relationship between the federal government and the states, and the rights of the citizens
The Bill of Rights (ratified 1791)
Protected individual rights and freedoms and limit the power of the government
Ensures fundamental rights of citizens and strengthens the constitutional democracy
Authored by: James Madison
The tragedy of the commons
A situation where individuals with access to a public resource where cost less consumption of a public good (the commons) that result in ruination; highlighting the fact that good already exists and will be destroyed if its exploitation is not brought under control
Federalism
A system of government in which power is divided between a central government and several regional governments. In the United States the division is between the national government and the states.
Federalists
Supported a strong national government, an expansive interpretation of congressional powers under the Constitution through the elastic clause
Ex. Alexander Hamilton and James Madison
Anti-federalists
Believed that Constitution gave too much power to the federal government and threatened individual rights
Ex. Thomas Jefferson
