Gov Terms

Fundamental rights and freedoms protected by the government

Protections from discrimination as a member of a particular group

A list of fundamental rights and freedoms that individuals possess. The first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution are referred to as the ___

The clause in the 14th amendment that restricts state governments from denying citizens their life, liberty, or property without legal safeguards

The piecemeal process through which the Supreme Court has affirmed that all of the protections in the BIll of Rights also apply to state governments

First amendment protection against the government requiring citizens to join or support a religion

First Amendment protection of the rights of individuals to exercise and express their religious beliefs

A fundamental right affirmed in the First Amendment to speak, publish and protest

Legal standard that speech posing an immediate and serious threat to national security is not protected by the First Amendment

The suppression of material prior to publication on the grounds that it might endanger national security

Protected expression in the form of images, signs, and other symbols

An untrue written statement that injures a person's reputation

An untrue spoken expression that injures a person’s reputation

Words, images, or videos that depict sexual activity in an offensive manner and that lack any artistic merit

Laws criminalizing conduct that was legal at the time it occurred

A law passed by Congress punishing an individual without a trial

A document setting out reasons for an arrest or detention

A judicial standard requiring that fairness be applied to all individuals equally

A document issued by a judge authorizing a search

Reasonable belief that a crime has been committed or that there is evidence of criminal activity

A rule that evidence obtained without a warrant is inadmissible in court

A group of citizens who, based on the evidence presented to them, decide whether a person should be indicted on criminal charges and subsequently tried in court

Protects an individual acquitted of a crime from being charged with the same crime again in the same jurisdiction

The right to remain silent and to have an attorney present during questioning; these rights must be given by police to individuals in custody suspected of criminal activity

An amount of money posted as security to allow the charged individual to be freed while awaiting trial

Protections for individuals from discrimination based on race, national origin, religion, sex, and other characteristics ensuring equal treatment under the law.

An amendment to the Constitution passed in 1865 prohibiting slavery within the United States.

An amendment to the Constitution passed in 1868 granting citizenship to all persons born or naturalized in the United States and placing restrictions on state laws that sought to abridge the privileges and immunities of citizens of the United States.

An amendment to the Constitution passed in 1870 granting voting rights to African American men.

The doctrine that racial segregation was constitutional so long as the facilities for blacks and whites were equal.

Clause of the 14th Amendment that has been used to protect the civil rights of Americans from discrimination based on race, national origin, religion, gender, and other characteristics.

The separation by law of individuals based on their race.

The separation of individuals based on their characteristics, such as race, by law..

A separation of individuals based on characteristics arising not by law but because of other factors such as residential housing patterns.

A policy designed to address the consequences of previous discrimination by providing special consideration to individuals based upon their characteristics such as race or gender.

Large groups of citizens organizing for political change.

The intentional refusal to obey a law to call attention to its injustice.

Legislation outlawing racial segregation in schools and public places and authorizing the attorney general to sue individuals school districts that failed to desegregate.

Legislation outlawing literacy tests and authorizing the Justice Department to send federal officers to register voters in uncooperative cities, counties, and states.

A 1920 constitutional amendment granting women the right to vote.

Legislation prohibiting sex discrimination in schools receiving federal aid, which had the impact of increasing female participation in sports programs.

The dominant set of beliefs, customs, traditions, and values that define the relationship between citizens and government.

The belief that individuals should be responsible for themselves and for the decisions they make.

An economic system in which government intrudes as little as possible in the economic transactions among citizens and businesses.

The principle that no one, including public officials, is above the law.

The experiences and factors that shape an individual's political values, attitudes, and behaviors.

An individual's coherent set of beliefs about government and politics.

The impact of historical events experienced by a generation upon their political views.

The increasing interconnectedness of people, businesses, and countries throughout the world.

The impact of a person's age and stage in life on his or her political views.

When a company moves its business to a place where labor costs are cheaper, or production is more efficient because workers work longer hours.

A small group of individuals assembled for a conversation about specific issues.

A representative poll of randomly selected respondents with a statistically significant sample size using neutral language.

A group of individuals from a larger population used to measure public opinion.

A method of choosing all poll respondents in a way that does not over or underrepresent any group of the population.

A sample that reflects the demographics of the population.

A procedure in which the survey is adjusted according to the demographics of the larger population.

The margin of error in a poll, usually calculated to plus or minus three percentage points.

A survey designed to measure the opinions of the population, usually consisting of 1500 responses.

A poll conducted of people coming to an event.

A survey conducted outside a polling place in which individuals are asked who or what they just voted for and why.

A survey taken at the beginning of a political campaign to gauge support for a candidate and determine which issues are important to voters.

A survey determining the level of support for a candidate or an issue throughout a campaign.

The use of telephone numbers randomly generated by a computer to select potential survey respondents.

The sequencing of questions in public opinion polls.

The phrasing of a question in a public opinion poll.

A set of beliefs about what should happen as the result of the process of governance.

Definitive right.

A special right.

An ideology favoring more control of social behavior, fewer regulations on businesses, and less government intervention in the economy.

An ideology supporting less government control over social behavior and more regulation of businesses and of the economy.

Favors very little government regulation and intervention beyond protecting private property and individual liberty.

Governments intervene as little as possible in the economic transactions between citizens.

Government dictates much of a nation's economic activity.

Economic decisions are mostly left to individuals and businesses but there is still some government influence

Total value of goods and services produced by American economic activity.

Two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth.

The percentage of people actively looking for work who are unable to find jobs.

The rise of the price of goods and services.

Government uses taxation and spending to attempt to lower unemployment.

Run by the federal government and supported by federal taxes.

Covers health services for low-income Americans.

The different ways in which individuals take action to shape the laws and policies of a government.

An organization that raises money to elect and defeat candidates and may donate money directly to a candidate's campaign, subject to limits.

Channels that connect individuals with government, including elections, political parties, interest groups, and the media.

The joining of individuals seeking social or political change with the goal of placing issues on the policy agenda.

The right to vote.

Allows those 18 or older to vote.

Prohibits Congress and the states from imposing poll taxes as a condition for voting in federal elections.

A payment required by a state or federal government before a citizen is allowed to vote.

The number of eligible voters who participate in an election as a percentage of the total number of eligible voters.

Measurable characteristics of a population such as economic status, education, age, race or ethnicity, and gender.

A measure of an individual's wealth, income, occupation, and education attainment.

A person’s belief that he or she can make effective political change.

Efforts by political parties to encourage their members to vote.

The set of rules that govern who can vote and how, when, and where they vote.

Voting completed and submitted by a voter before the day of an election without going to the polls.

Voting based on what a citizen believes is in his or her best interest.

Voting based on an assessment of an incumbent's past performance.

Casting a ballot for a candidate who promises to enact policies favored by the voter.