Civil Rights Movement Overview

A strategy used by the NAACP to challenge segregation laws in court. It involved proving that "separate but equal" facilities were not truly equal in practice.

The idea that members of an identity group (e.g., women, Black people) see their group affiliation as politically relevant, often due to experiencing marginalization.

The subjective importance of a group to an individual's sense of self. It's about how connected a person feels to a particular group.

A theory of group identification that explains how people see themselves as part of a group. It emphasizes the role of social categorization in shaping our sense of self.

A form of affirmative action that aims to increase representation of specific groups (often underrepresented) in areas like politics or education. They set targets or minimum requirements for these groups.

Arguments against quotas suggest they can be seen as anti-democratic, restricting voters' choices and potentially undermining the achievements of individuals within the group.

The Supreme Court case that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide in 2015. It overturned state bans on same-sex marriage and recognized marriage equality as a fundamental right.

A court case, sometimes cited as a precedent for potentially overturning Roe v. Wade, which addressed the right to abortion. The concern is that similar legal reasoning could be applied to weaken abortion rights.

The number of electors a state receives in the Electoral College is determined by adding its number of senators (always 2) and representatives in the House of Representatives.

The Electoral College is a system where electors chosen by each state vote for the President and Vice President of the United States.

The President of the United States is elected by the Electoral College, not by the popular vote, which is the total number of votes cast for a candidate nationwide.

The number of electors a state receives can change every 10 years based on the results of the US Census, which counts the population of each state.

Each state party nominates electors to represent that state in the Electoral College.

You are voting for electors who will represent your choice for President and Vice President, not directly for the candidates themselves.

The Electoral College system has been criticized for its potential to allow a candidate to win the presidency even if they lose the nationwide popular vote.

Presidential directives that have the force of law, but can be easily overturned.

A new president can simply issue their own executive order that cancels the previous one.

The court system can review and invalidate an executive order if it goes beyond the president's legal authority.

A common example is the Supreme Court's recent decision to overturn Biden's student loan forgiveness plan.

If Congress wants to make an executive order permanent, they can pass a law and override any presidential veto.

Presidential power to nominate federal judges and ambassadors.

Presidents often appoint people who share their political beliefs and are loyal.

The president's own political ideology influences their decision-making in appointments.

The president's personal loyalty towards potential appointees plays a significant role in decision-making.

The process of reconciling differences between bills passed by the House and Senate. It involves a joint committee, where members from both chambers negotiate a compromise.

A formal order issued by the President of the United States, which has the force of law but does not require Congressional approval. It is implemented by the executive branch.

The group of people that a representative or elected official is responsible for. For example, a senator represents their state, and a member of the House represents their district.

The President serves the entire nation, while members of Congress represent individual districts or states, often with different priorities.

The President serves a term of 4 years, with a maximum of two terms. Members of the House serve two-year terms, while Senators serve six-year terms. These differing timetables impact their priorities and political strategies.

The President has to be a natural-born US citizen, a resident for at least 14 years, and at least 35 years old.

The Conference Committee is formed to work out the differences between bills passed by the House and Senate. Its members come from both chambers, with the number determined by negotiation or agreement.

If the Conference Committee cannot agree on a compromise bill, the bill fails and does not become law.

If the Conference Committee successfully creates a compromise bill, it still needs to be voted on and approved by both the House and the Senate before it goes to the President for signature.

The power of the Supreme Court to review laws and actions of the government to determine if they are constitutional. This power was established in the landmark case Marbury v. Madison.

The principle that courts should follow precedents - decisions made in previous similar cases. This helps ensure consistency and predictability in the law.

A decision made by a court in a previous case that can be used as a guide for deciding similar cases.

A formal request to the Supreme Court to review a case decided by a lower court.

A rule that requires at least four Supreme Court justices to agree to hear a case.

The ability of the Supreme Court to make broader decisions that can apply to future similar cases, even beyond the specific case they are ruling on.

The idea that the Constitution should be interpreted based on the original understanding of the framers, even if that understanding differs from modern values.

A legal philosophy where judges interpret the Constitution based on the meaning of the words as they were understood at the time of their writing.

A legal approach where judges attempt to understand the original intent of the writers of the Constitution when making decisions.

A legal philosophy that argues the Constitution is a 'living document' that adapts to changing social norms and values.

A legal philosophy that argues that the Constitution should be interpreted according to the original meaning of the text as understood by those who wrote it.