Substantive Rights & Liberties

13th Amendment

Abolished slavery

Free Exercise clause

Citizens are permitted to practice their individual religions in any way they choose, so long as these practices & rituals don't endanger society & don't break community laws

Specific prohibitions in the Constitution

Bill of attainder, ex post facto laws, religious oath requirements

First Amendment

Contains the establishment clause & free exercise clause

14th Amendment

Defined citizenship & provided for due process & equal protection of laws

Amendments applied to the states

First, Fourth, Sixth, & Eighth Amendment are fully incorporated. Fifth is partially incorporated. Second & Seventh are not incorporated, & the Third has not been decided upon

6th Amendment

Guarantees trial rights, including the right to a speedy trial, the right to an attorney, the right to face the witnesses against you, the right to trial by jury, & the right to know the charges against you

West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette

In 1943, the SC ruled that the West Virginia Board's policy requiring students & teachers to recite the Pledge of Allegiance to be unconstitutional. However, individual communities & schools have set their own policies regarding this issue

Vernonia v. Action

In 1995, the SC decided students must submit to random drug testing in order to participate in interscholastic athletics. Students in a school environment have a lesser expectiation of privacy than members of the population generally

Boy Scouts of America v. DAle

In 2000, the Supreme Court ruled that forcing the Boy Scouts to admit a homosexual as a scout leader would violate the private organization's right of freedom of association

26th Amendment

Passed in 1971, giving 18-yr olds the right to vote

Civil Rights Act of 1964

Prohibited discrimmination in employment & in places of public accommodation, outlawed bias in federally funded programs, & created the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

8th Amendment

Prohibits excessive bail, excessive fines, & cruel & unusual punishment for crimes

Establishment Clause

Protects individuals from the state establishment, sponsorship, or favoritism of an official national religion

15th Amendment

Stated that individuals could not be denied the right to vote based on race or former servitude

5th Amendment

States the rights of the accused, including the right to grand jury, right to be protected from double jeopardy, rigth to eminent domain right not to incriminate oneself, & right of due process of law

Specific rights of the Constitution

Writ of habeas corpus, protection of citizens from state to state, limits on excessive punishment, guarantee of republican government, trial by jury