Foundations of Government
This Enlightenment thinker argued that people have "Natural Rights" of life, liberty and property
John Locke
Members of this branch are responsible for "interpreting" the law and deciding if laws are constitutional
Judicial Branch
These first 10 amendments to the Constitution protect individual freedoms from government interference.
Bill of Rights
This case established "Judicial Review," giving the Court the power to declare laws unconstitutional.
Marbury v. Madison
This is a legal requirement for all citizens, like paying taxes or serving on a jury.
Duty
This 1215 English document established the principle that the King is not above the law
Magna Carta
This is the power of the President to reject a bill passed by Congress.
Veto
The 1st Amendment protects five freedoms: Speech, Religion, Press, Assembly, and this—the right to ask the government to fix a problem.
Petition
In this case, the Court ruled that "separate but equal" was constitutional, allowing segregation to continue for decades.
Plessy v. Ferguson
This is a voluntary action citizens should do to improve their community, such as voting or volunteering.
Responsibility
Baron de Montesquieu's main contribution to the U.S. Constitution was this idea, which prevents any one branch from becoming too powerful.
Separation of Powers
This branch is split into two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Legislative Branch
This 14th Amendment clause was used in Brown v. Board of Education to ensure all citizens are treated the same under the law.
Equal Protection Clause
This 1966 case ensures that suspects are informed of their right to remain silent and to an attorney before questioning.
Miranda v. Arizona
This is the process a non-citizen must go through to become a legal U.S. citizen.
This 1786 rebellion by Massachusetts farmers showed that the Articles of Confederation were too weak to maintain order.
Shay's Rebellion
This principle allows the Senate to "advise and consent" on a President's choice for a Supreme Court Justice.
Checks and Balances
This amendment, ratified in 1920, gave women the right to vote (Suffrage).
19th Amendment
This case protected student free speech, ruling that students do not "shed their constitutional rights... at the schoolhouse gate."
Tinker v. Des Moines
This 14th Amendment principle states that anyone born on U.S. soil is automatically a citizen.
Birthright Citizenship
This was the first governing document of the United States; it failed because the central government couldn't collect taxes or raise an army.
Articles of Confederation
To be elected President, a candidate must win 270 votes in this specific system, rather than the popular vote.
Electoral Collenge
The 4th Amendment protects citizens against this, requiring the police to have a warrant or probable cause.
In Gideon v. Wainwright, the Court ruled that if a defendant cannot afford one of these, the state must provide one for free.
Attorney / Lawyer
This is the idea that "the people" are the ultimate source of government power, usually exercised through voting.
Popular Sovereignty