Bill of Rights
Which amendment protects freedom of speech, religion, press, assembly, and petition?
1st Amendment
Which case ruled that schools cannot sponsor prayer, reinforcing the Establishment Clause?
Engel v. Vitale
Which law outlawed racial discrimination in voting? (NOT Amendment)
Voting Rights Act of 1965.
What is the highest level of judicial scrutiny and what is it used for?
Strict scrutiny – used for fundamental rights and suspect classifications like race.
Which case established the right to an abortion based on the right to privacy?
Roe v. Wade (1973)
What does the 4th Amendment protect against?
Unreasonable searches and seizures.
What was the outcome of Gideon v. Wainwright (1963)?
Defendants have the right to an attorney, even if they cannot afford one.
Shelby County v. Holder (2013) struck down what major part of the Voting Rights Act?
The preclearance requirement, which required certain states to get federal approval before changing voting laws.
What is the main difference between the Establishment Clause and Free Exercise Clause?
The Establishment Clause prevents government endorsement of religion, while the Free Exercise Clause protects religious practices.
How did Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (2022) impact abortion rights?
It overturned Roe, allowing states to ban or regulate abortion as they choose.
Which amendment has been most used in selective incorporation cases?
14th Amendment - Due Process Clause
McDonald v. Chicago (2010) applied which amendment to the states?
The 2nd Amendment – right to bear arms
Give two examples of modern voting suppression tactics.
Strict voter ID laws, closing polling places, purging voter rolls, limiting early voting
Which case ruled that Amish families could not be forced to send their children to school past 8th grade?
Wisconsin v. Yoder
What was the ruling in Griswold v. Connecticut (1965)?
It struck down a ban on contraception, establishing a right to privacy.
Name two rights protected by the 5th Amendment.
Protection from self-incrimination & double jeopardy, due process, eminent domain, grand jury requirement
How did Letter from a Birmingham Jail justify civil disobedience?
MLK argued that unjust laws should be broken nonviolently to create tension and force negotiation.
What is gerrymandering?
Manipulating district boundaries to favor one political party.
What test did Lemon v. Kurtzman establish to determine if a law violates the Establishment Clause?
The Lemon Test – the law must have a secular purpose, not promote/inhibit religion, and not cause excessive government entanglement with religion.
What was the impact of the Supreme Court’s decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard (2023)?
The decision ended race-based affirmative action in college admissions, ruling that Harvard’s race-conscious policies violated the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. As a result, colleges must now use race-neutral alternatives to achieve diversity in their admissions processes.
What is the main purpose of the 9th Amendment?
It protects rights not explicitly listed in the Constitution, ensuring people have other fundamental rights beyond those stated.
What was the Supreme Court’s decision in New York Times v. United States (1971), and how did it impact press freedom?
The Supreme Court ruled that the government could not use prior restraint to prevent the publication of the Pentagon Papers unless it could prove an immediate national security threat. This decision strengthened First Amendment protections for the press and limited government censorship.
Name one constitutional amendment that expanded voting rights and explain who gained the right to vote.
15th – Black men
19th – Women
26th – 18-year-olds.
When does the government NOT have to follow the Free Exercise Clause?
When religious practices violate public laws or safety, like human sacrifice or polygamy.
How did Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978) shape affirmative action?
It struck down racial quotas but allowed race to be considered as one factor in admissions.