Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
1. Define Civil Liberties - Personal guarantees and freedoms that the government cannot abridge by
law, constitution, or judicial interpretation - natural rights of citizens that cannot be taken away.
2. Civil liberties are protected FROM the government and outline in the Bill of Rights.
3. Define Civil Rights - government protected rights of individuals against arbitrary or discriminatory
treatment by governments or officials
4. The 2 major differences between civil liberties and civil rights are
a. Civil liberties are protections FROM the government - Civil rights are protections BY the
government
b. Civil liberties are freedom of or freedom to - Civil right are freedom from
5. The Bill of Rights is intended to individual freedoms of the people from the
government, not the federal or state governments.
6. For what 3 reasons did the Federalists argue against the Bill of Rights?
a. no need to protect individuals from powers that the government doesn't have
b. Constitution limited the powers of the government - not the people
c. powers not listed for the federal government were automatically retained by the states and
the people
B. Religion
Free Exercise Clause - govt cannot keep a person from practicing religion of their
choice (or refusal to practice a religion at all)
Establishment Clause - govt cannot support or inhibit the practice of one religion over
another
Conscientious Objectors - person who refuses military enlistment/draft on grounds of
religious objections - Muhammad Ali was an example
Practice in Prisons - practice of religion can be restricted if it can put safety of others
in facility - certain ceremonies can be restricted based on requirements of prison
Limits include - polygamy, use of drugs in religious ceremony, organized prayer in
public schools
C. Press
Limits include - libel, intended malice, gag orders in court proceedings, censorship
allowed in schools
D. Petition
Limits include - may require a permit, cannot use public facilities that are not
typically open to general public (airports, schools, jails), private property without
permission, may be dispersed by police - if needed to keep peace
E. Assembly
Limits include - may require a permit, cannot use public facilities that are not
typically open to general public (airports, schools, jails), private property without
permission, may be dispersed by police - if needed to keep peace
8. Define writs of habeas corpus - court orders that require police prove they are holding someone
lawfully and with cause - right of accused to know charges against them
B. 5th Amendment protection against self incrimination - cannot be forced to testify against
yourself, must be made aware of your rights
know Miranda v. Arizona
C. 6th Amendment right to an attorney in ALL cases and as soon as investigation begins
know Gideon v. Wainwright
Escobedo v. Illinois - Escobedo Rule
C. 15th Amendment right to vote cannot be denied on basis of race, color, or previous condition
of servitude
Affirmative Action - an action or policy favoring those who tend to suffer from discrimination,
especially in relation to employment or education; positive discrimination.
A. Education - used to ensure women/minorities are given equal access to historically white,
male educational institutions - medical school, law school, etc
B. Title VII 1964 Civil Rights Act a federal law that prohibits employers from
discriminating against employees on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, and
religion.
C. Equal Employment Opportunity Act 1972 gives the Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission (EEOC) authority to sue in federal courts when it finds reasonable cause to
believe that there has been employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or
national origin, age, disability, political beliefs, marital status, familial status.
B. Americans with Disabilities Act 1992 - prohibits discrimination against people with
disabilities. Under this Act, discrimination against a disabled person is illegal in
employment, transportation, public accommodations, communications and government
activities.
B. Sexual Harassment Laws - laws prohibiting unwelcome sexual advances, requests for
sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when either: The
conduct is made as a term or condition of an individual's employment, education, living
environment or participation in a University community.
C. Hate Crimes Matthew Shepard - a crime motivated by racial, sexual, or other prejudice,
typically one involving violence - laws regarding hate crimes gained national support
following the death of Matthew Shepard - a gay teenager tortured and killed by a group of
teenage boys for his sexual orientation