AP Government and Politics Study Guide (Vocab and Amsco)

reasonableness standard

When the government treats some classes of people differently from others, the different treatment must be reasonable and not arbitrary

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

regulates interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories.

Investigative Reporting

reporters digging deep ionto stories to expose corruption in government and other instituitons.

Horse-Race Journalism

reporters find new ways to discuss who is leading and who is falling behind

poll taxes

required payment for voting used to disenfranchise black citizens

de facto segregation

segregation "by fact", segregation that results from factors like housing patterns rather than law.

de jure segregation

segregation by law, segregation that is required by government

Affiliates

smaller stations in every market around the country

Press Conferences

staged public relation event in which an organization or individual presents information to members of mass media.

Talk Radio

syndicated political shoes that air from coast-to-coast

establishment clause

the First Amendment guarantee that the government will not create and support an official state church

symbolic speech

nonverbal communication, such as burning a flag or wearing an armband. The Supreme Court has accorded some symbolic speech protection under the first amendment.

Twenty-Fourth Amendment

outlawed the use of poll taxes at any level of government

white primary

practice of keeping black citizens from voting in southern states' primaries through the arbitrary use of registration requirements and intimidation

Civil Rights Act (1957)

primarily a voting rights bill, was the first civil rights legislation enacted in the United States since Reconstruction. It was proposed by Congress to President Dwight Eisenhower.

C-Span

privately funded, non-profit service that airs the House and Senate daily

Civil Rights Act (1875)

prohibited discrimination against blacks in public places and on public transportation; declared unconstitutional by Supreme Court

Nineteenth Amendment

prohibited voting restrictions based on gender

Fifteenth Amendment

prohibited voting restrictions based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude (slavery)

Schenck v. United States (1919)

Encouraging people not to register for the WWI military draft is not protected speech under the 1st Amendment because it creates a "clear and present danger" to the recruitment of U.S. forces during war. Thus, the "clear and present danger" precedent was established.

Mapp v. Ohio (1961)

Established exclusionary rule; illegally obtained evidence cannot be used in court; Warren Court's judicial activism.

Roe v. Wade (1973)

(Burger) Certain state criminal abortion laws violate the Due Process clause of the 14th Amendment, which protects against state action the (implied) right to privacy in the Bill of Rights (9th amendment). Abortion cannot be banned in the 1st trimester (1st 3 months), states can regulate the 2nd trimester, 3rd trimester - abortion is illegal except to save the life of the mother Back ground/Facts: Single woman with a fake name Roe ( 19 year old circus worker having 3rd child) with the support of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) sued the local District Attorney Wade in Texas (only 4 states allowed abortions Constitutional question: Does Texas's anti abortion law violate the due process clause of the 14 amendment and woman's constitutional right? Decision : yes for Roe 7-2 Reasoning: case was somewhat revolutionary, no expressed right to privacy but penumbras (shadow) of the Bill of Rights- Griswold vs. Connecticut - right to privacy for birth control Effect: election time and Supreme ct appointments the case is argued, Planned Parenthood v Cased- up held: waiting period, information on abortion alt, teens to get permission disbanded: public records expose patients, consent of father

Lemon v. Kurtzman (1971)

Established the 3 part Lemon test for the Establishment clause which states the law...(1) Must have a legitimate secular purpose...(2)...Must not have the primary effect of either advancing or inhibiting religion...(3)...Must not result in an excessive entanglement of government and religion

Civil Rights Cases (1883)

The Court held that Congress lacked the constitutional authority under the enforcement provisions of the Fourteenth Amendment to outlaw racial discrimination by private individuals and organizations, rather than state and local governments.

due process

14th amendment clause stating that no state may deprive a person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law

Miranda v. Arizona (1966)

5th Amendment self-incrimination clause requires government agents to warn suspects of their right to remain silent and/or contact an attorney before questioning them when they are in custody. Statements made without Miranda Warning are inadmissible in court (like the exclusionary rule for evidence)

equal protection clause

A clause of the Fourteenth Amendment that forbids any state to deny equal protection of the laws to any individual within its jurisdiction

The Fifth Amendment

A constitutional amendment designed to protect the rights of persons accused of crimes, including protection against double jeopardy, self-incrimination, and punishment without due process of law.

Equal Rights Amendment

A constitutional amendment originally introduced in Congress in 1923 and passed by Congress in 1972, stating that "equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex." Despite public support, the amendment failed to acquire the necessary support from three-fourths of the state legislatures.

prior restraint

A government preventing material from being published. This is a common method of limiting the press in some nations, but it is usually unconstitutional in the United States, according to the First Amendment and as confirmed in the 1931 Supreme Court case of Near v. Minnesota.

freedom-of-choice plans

A school integration plan mandating no particular racial balance

Bandwagon Effect

A shift in electoral support to everyone whom public opinion polls report as the front-runner.

Confirmation Bias

A tendency to search for information that supports what we already believe

clear and present danger test

A test established by Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., in 1919 to define the point at which speech loses the protection of the First Amendment.

compelling government interest

A test of constitutionality that requires the government to have compelling reasons for passing any law that restricts fundamental rights, such as free speech, or distinguishes between people based on a suspect trait.

Exclusionary Rule

Evidence the government finds or takes in the violation of the fourth amendment can be excluded from trial

Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)

Extends to the defendant the right of counsel in all state and federal criminal trials regardless of their ability to pay. Facts/Background-45 states did provide an attorney Fl. Didn't with Gideon was a drifter arrested for stealing things from a cigarette machine and drinks- expected a lawyer -filed a forma pauperis brief (Pauper) Constitutional question- Does a state's prosecution of a criminal with an attorney constitute a violation of the 6th amendment Decision: Yes 9-0 Reasoning: defendants should have a fair trial -14th amendment selective incorporation of 6th amendment to state courts Effect: All defendants that can't afford an attorney are given one

Thirteenth Amendment

Abolition of Slavery

Metadata

All the cell phone communication information minus the actual conversation; that is, who is calling whom, when, and for how long.

Wisconsin v. Yoder

Amish do not have to attend school after 8th grade - right to freedom of religion

Equal Pay Act (1963)

An amendment to the Fair Labor Standards Act, this act requires equal pay for men and women doing equal work.

National Organization for Women (NOW)

An interest group representing the issues of gender equality, drawing most of its influence from action-prompted litigation.

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)

An interest group representing the issues of racial equality, drawing most of its influence from litigation

wall of separation

An interpretation of the establishment clause embraced by the Supreme Court that allows no government involvement with religion, even on a non preferential basis.

majority-minority districts

In the context of determining representative districts, the process by which a majority of the population is from the minority.

Civil Liberties

Constitutional freedoms guaranteed to all citizens

Substantive Due Process

Constitutional requirement that governments act reasonably and that the substance of the laws themselves be fair and reasonable; limits what a government may do.

Procedural Due Process

Constitutional requirement that governments proceed by proper methods; limits how government may exercise power.

Free Exercise Clause 1st Amendment

Congress cannot pass laws that ban freedom of worship

Engle v. Vitale (1962)

Government-sponsored prayer in public schools is a violation of the 1st Amendment's Establishment Clause even if the prayer does not favor a particular religion and students are allowed to remain silent during its reading

Broadcast Network

Group of interconnected stations that share programming and a parent company that supplies programming to stations.

Big Three Networks

NBC, CBS, ABC

Fifth Amendment

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

Right to Privacy

Not expressly mentioned in the Bill of Rights, could be found in the shadows of the First, Third, Fourth, and Ninth Amendments.

"don't ask, don't tell"

Policy prohibited military personnel from discriminating against or harassing closeted homosexual or bisexual service members or applicants, while barring openly gay, lesbian, or bisexual persons from military service. Repealed in 2011.

"separate but equal"

Principle upheld in Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) in which the Supreme Court ruled that segregation of public facilities was legal.

Title IX

Prohibited gender discrimination in federally subsidized education programs. Largely responsible for the prevalence of female sports at the college and high school level today.

obscene speech

Quality or state of a work that taken as a whole appeals to a prurient interest in sex by depicting sexual conduct in a patently offensive way and that lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value.

Consumer Driven Media

Refers to media whose content is influenced by the actions and needs of consumers.

Public Safety Exception

Statements obtain before the Miranda rights are read is admitted as evidence on basis of protecting public safety.

Obergefell v. Hodges (2015)

Struck down state bans on same sex marriage. The 14th Amendment requires States to license a marriage between two people of the same sex. States must recognize a marriage between two people of the same sex when their marriage was lawfully licensed and performed out-of-State. (Roberts Court)

New York Times v. US

Supreme Court case protecting the freedom of the press by allowing the New York Times to publish the "Pentagon Papers" despite the Justice Department's order to restrict it

Griswold v. Connecticut (1965)

Supreme Court decision in which the Court ruled that the Constitution implicitly guarantees citizens' right to privacy.

Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg (1971)

Supreme Court decision that held student busing is an acceptable method for integrating public schools because of de facto segregation

Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978)

Supreme Court decision that upheld affirmative action in that race can be a contributing factor for university admissions. However, "set-asides" or quotas are not allowed...meaning specific spots can not be set-aside for prospective students of a particular gender or racial/ethnic group.

Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas (1954)

Supreme Court decision which declared school segregation to be unconstitutional.

heightened scrutiny test

Supreme Court test to see if a law denies equal protection because it doesn't serve a compelling state interest and is not narrowly tailored to achieve that goal.

New Jersey v. TLO (1985)

Supreme court case in which it was decided that a student may be searched if there is "reasonable ground" for doing so.

Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Schools (1969)

The 1st Amendment protection of freedom of speech (in this case symbolic speech) is applied to schools via the 14th Amendment. In this case a school could not ban a student wearing a black armband to school to protest the Vietnam War, since it was not considered a substantial distraction to the learning environment.

McDonald v. Chicago

The Court held that the right of an individual to "keep and bear arms" protected by the 2nd Amendment is incorporated by the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment and applies to the states. Back ground/facts- DC guns were banned unless police- NRA took a case to ct - Columbia vs. Heller- Fed case on guns rule 2nd amendment protects right to gun in a federal case -Chicago required gun owners to register gun but city refused to allow citizens to register hand guns so McDonald took it to court Constitutional question- Does the 2nd amendment apply to the states by using the 14th amendment and thus prevent the state from banning citizen ownership of hand guns Majority decision- yes for McDonald 5:4 Reasoning - 14th amendment due process clause selective incorporation of 2nd amendment applies to states

Lawrence v. Texas (2003)

The Supreme Court struck down anti-sodomy laws in various states thus making same-sex activity legal nationwide.

public interest

The best interests of the overall community; the national good, rather than the narrow interests of a particular group.

Fourteenth Amendment

The constitutional amendment adopted after the Civil War that states, "No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; not deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."

selective incorporation

The process by which provisions of the Bill of Rights are brought within the scope of the Fourteenth Amendment and so applied to state and local governments

Watchdog

The role played by the national media in investigating political personalities and exposing scandals.

Civil RIghts Act (1964)

This act made racial, religious, and sex discrimination by employers illegal and gave the government the power to enforce all laws governing civil rights, including desegregation of schools and public places.

interdistrict busing

busing across district lines.

Mainstream Media

collection of traditional news organizations

strict scrutiny

a Supreme Court test to see if a law denies equal protection because it does not serve a compelling state interest and is not narrowly tailored to achieve that goal

Fairness Doctrine

a former federal policy in the US requiring television and radio broadcasters to present contrasting viewpoints on controversial issues of public importance.

libel

a tort consisting of false and malicious publication printed for the purpose of defaming a living person

literacy test

an arbitrary test used to prevent black citizens from registering to vote

Free Press

an uninhibited institution that places an additional check on government to maintain honesty, ethics, and transparency

Political commentary

criticism that is specific of or relative to politics

Narrowcasting

demand for more media content also encourges the growth of media outlets with a specific political agenda and a targeted audience.

affirmative action

designed to correct the effects of past discrimination; requirement by law that positive steps be taken to increase the number of minorities in business, schools, colleges, and labor

Gatekeeper

editorial boards that determine what is newsworthy and decides what infomartion the public recieves.

quotas

established limits by governments on the number of immigrants who can enter a country each year

Voting Rights Act (1965)

federal law that increased government supervision of local election practices, suspended the use of literacy tests to prevent people (usually African Americans) from voting, and expanded government efforts to register voters.

Jim Crow laws

laws enacted by southern states that discriminated against blacks by creating "whites only" schools, theaters, hotels, and other public accommodations

Associated Press (AP)

leading editors gathered in the New York Sun offices to finalize plans for a formal new organization, the AP. By pooling resources, the editors could gather, share, and sell the news beyond their respective cities.

grandfather clause

legal method used to exclude blacks from poll taxes and literacy tests

Cable News Network (CNN)

made by Ted Turner in 1980 in Atlanta TV station

preclearance

mandated by the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the prior approval by the Justice Department of changes to or new election laws by certain states

Scorekeeper

media tracks political successes and failures

Fourteenth Amendment

the constitutional amendment adopted after the Civil War that states, "no state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."

white flight

the movement of whites out of urban centers to the suburbs.

Search and Seizure

the process by which police or other authorities who suspect that a crime has been committed do a search of a person's property and collect any relevant evidence to the crime; protection from illegal search and seizure is in the Fourth Amendment

Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)

the word "marriage" means only a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife. Deemed unconstitutional in U.S. v. Windsor (2013) and Obergefell v. Hodges (2015)

disenfranchise

to take away the right to vote by law or intimidation