Civil Liberties
Fundamental rights and freedoms protected from infringement by the government.
Civil Rights
Protections from discrimination as a member of a particular group
Edward Snowden
An American traitor and former intelligence contractor who leaked classified documents in 2013, revealing massive secret surveillance programs run by the U.S.
Espionage Act of 1917
Criminalized actions interfering with the war effort.
Bill of Rights
A list of fundamental rights and freedoms that individuals possess. The first 10 amendments to the US constitution are referred to as the Bill of Rights.
Due Process Clause
The clause in the 14th amendment that restricts state governments from denying citizens their life, liberty, or property without legal safeguards.
Gitlow v. New York
handed out revolutionary pamphlets to overthrow the government and was arrested under NY law.
Selective Incorporation
The piecemeal process through which the supreme court has affirmed that almost all of the protections in the Bill of Rights also apply to state governments.
Establishment Clause
1st amendment protection against the government requiring citizens to join or support a religion.
Free Exercise Clause
1st amendment protection of the rights of individuals to exercise and express their religious beliefs.
Engle v. Vitale
New York Schools led a required prayer, parents objected, and the supreme court stopped school-sponsored prayer.
Lemon v. Kurtzman
Pennsylvania and Rhode Island used state money to fund religious schools and the supreme court said no.
Wisconsin v. Yoder
Amish parents kept kids out of high school for religious reasons, and the supreme court allowed it.
Schenck v. U.S.
Handed out anti-draft flyers during WWI and was punished, which the supreme court allowed
Clear and Present Danger Test
Legal standard that speech posing an immediate and serious threat to national security is not protected by the 1st amendment.
Brandenburg v. Ohio
A KKK leader gave a violent speech, but the supreme court said it was protected and threw out his conviction.
Prior Restraint
The suppression of material prior to publication on the grounds that it might endanger national security.
New York Times Co v. US
The government tried to stop the pentagon papers from being published, but the supreme court said the press could print them.
Symbolic speech
Protected expression in the form of images, signs, and other symbols.
Tinker v. Des Moines
Students protested with black armbands, got suspended, and court protected their free speech.
Libel
An untrue written statement that injures a person’s reputation.
Slander
An untrue spoken expression that injures a person’s reputation.
New York Times v. Sullivan
A public official sued over a critical ad, but the supreme court protected the newspaper.
Actual Malice
Knowingly false or recklessly false statement about a public figure.
Obscenity
Words, images, or videos that depict sexual activity in an offensive manner and that lack any artistic merit.
Miller v. California
A student mailed adult ads, got convicted, and supreme court set standard for what count as obscene.
Time Place and Manner Restrictions
Government can limit how, when, or where people speak as long as it doesn't censor the message.
McDonald v. Chicago
A state banned handguns, they got sued, and the supreme court said the second amendment applies to the state.