civil rights
all rights rooted in 14th amendment's guarantee of equal protection under the law
Separate but equal doctrine
separate but equal facilities do not violate the equal protection clause of the 14th amendment
white primary
state primary election that restricted voting to whites only
grandfather clause
restricts voting to those whose grandfathers had voted before 1867
poll tax
tax that had to be paid as a qualification for voting
literacy test
test administered as a precondition for voting
De Jure Segregation
racial segregation that occurs because of laws or administrative decisions by public agencies
De Facto Segregation
racial segregation that occurs because of past social and economic conditions and residential racial patterns
civil disobedience
a nonviolent public refusal to obey allegedly unjust laws
strict scrutiny
when fundamental rights are at stake
suspect classification
race, religion, or national origin that triggers strict scrutiny by the courts when a law or government action potentially discriminates against members of the class
intermediate scrutiny
standard used by courts to determine whether a law or government action improperly discriminates against women
rational basis review
standard used by the courts to determine the constitutionality of a law or government action if neither strict scrutiny nor immediate scrutiny applies
affirmative action
policy in educational admissions and job hiring that gives special attention to traditionally disadvantaged groups
reverse discrimination
when affirmative action programs discriminates against those who do not have minority status
sexual harassment
unwanted physical or verbal conduct or abuse of a sexual nature that interferes with a recipient's life
civil law
regulates conduct between private persons over noncriminal matters
criminal law
defines crimes and provides punishment for violations
majority
age at which a person is entitled by law to the right to manage their own affairs
common law
decisions shaped according to prevailing customs
felony
serious crime
suffrage
right to vote
feminism
movement that supports equality for women
gender discrimination
anything that denies equality of treatment to an individual or to a group because of gender