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magna carta
document signed by king john of England that set up the first limited government -
The declaration of independence
the 13 American colonies severed their political connections to Great Britain -
US constitution
the supreme law of the United States, and it defines the structure and operation of the US government -
1st amendment
provides that Congress make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting its free exercise -
2nd amendment
Right to Bear Arms -
3rd amendment
No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law. -
16th amendment
gives Congress the power to levy income taxes without having to consider population when apportioning those taxes among the states -
4th amendment
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, -
5th amendment
guarantees the right to a grand jury, forbids “double jeopardy,” and protects against self-incrimination. -
6th amendment
sets forth rights related to criminal prosecutions -
6th amendment
protects the rights of the accused in criminal prosecutions -
8th amendment
protects against excessive bail, fines, and cruel and unusual punishments -
13th amendment
abolished slavery and involuntary servitude in the United States and its territories, except as punishment for a crime -
9th amendment
the enumeration of certain rights in the Constitution does not deny or disparage other rights retained by the people -
10th amendment
any powers not given to the federal government are reserved for the states or the people -
7th amendment
protects the right to a jury trial in civil cases and prohibits judges from overturning a jury's findings of fact -
12th amendment
outlines the process for electing the President and Vice President -
11th amendment
limits the ability of people to sue states in federal court if they are not citizens of those states -
15th amendment
prohibits the federal government and states from denying the right to vote based on race, color, or previous condition of servitude -
14th amendment
grants citizenship and equal protection under the law to all people born or naturalized in the United States -
Marbury v. Madison
was a landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court that established the principle of judicial review, meaning that American courts have the power to strike down laws and statutes they find to violate the Constitution of the United States -
McCulloch v. Maryland
a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision that defined the scope of the U.S. Congress's legislative power and how it relates to the powers of American state legislatures -
gibbons v. ogden
a Supreme Court case that famously expounded upon the powers of the commerce clause, setting the precedent of Congress's broad ability to regulate interstate and some intrastate commerce -
Dred Scot v. Sandford
was a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court that held the U.S. Constitution did not extend American citizenship to people of black African descent, and therefore they could not enjoy the rights and privileges the Constitution conferred upon American citizens -
freedmen's bureau established
a U.S. government agency that provided assistance to formerly enslaved people and impoverished whites in the years following the Civil War -
Alaska territory purchased
The United States purchased Alaska from Russia on October 18, 1867 for $7.2 million, which is about $119 million in today's dollars. The purchase was negotiated by Secretary of State William Seward and Russian Minister to the United States Edouard de Stoeckl. -
Department of justice established
The United States Department of Justice, also known as the Justice Department, is a federal executive department of the United States government tasked with the enforcement of federal law and administration of justice in the United States. It is equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries -
English Bill of Rights
firmly established the principles of frequent parliaments, free elections and freedom of speech within Parliament -
Plessy v. Ferguson
was a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision ruling that racial segregation laws did not violate the U.S. Constitution as long as the facilities for people of color were equal in quality to those of white people, a doctrine that came to be known as "separate but equal" -
18th amendment
prohibited the production, sale, and transportation of alcohol for consumption within the United States. It also prohibited the import and export of alcohol. -
Abrams v. United States
was a decision by the Supreme Court of the United States upholding the criminal arrests of several defendants under the Sedition Act of 1918, which was an amendment to the Espionage Act of 1917 -
19th amendment
granted women the right to vote -
Indian citizenship Act
also known as the Snyder Act, granted citizenship to all Native Americans born in the United States -
20th amendment
changed the start and end dates of terms for the president, vice president, and members of Congress:
President and vice president: Terms begin on January 20 instead of March 4
Members of Congress: Terms begin on January 3 instead of March 4
Succession: If the president-elect dies before taking office, -
21st amendment
repealed the 18th Amendment, which had prohibited the production, sale, and transportation of alcohol nationwide. -
22nd amendment
limits the number of terms a person can serve as president to two -
Brown v. Board of Education
The Supreme Court ruled that separating children in public schools on the basis of race was unconstitutional -
23rd amendment
gives residents of Washington, D.C. the right to vote in presidential elections -
Mapp v. Ohio
a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision in which the Court ruled that the exclusionary rule, which prevents a prosecutor from using evidence that was obtained by violating the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, applies to states as well as the federal government -
Engel v. Vitale
was a landmark United States Supreme Court case in which the Court ruled that it is unconstitutional for state officials to compose an official school prayer and encourage its recitation in public schools, due to violation of the First Amendment -
Gideon v. wainwright
the Court ruled that the Sixth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution requires U.S. states to provide attorneys to criminal defendants who are unable to afford their own -
24th amendment
Elimination of Poll Taxes -
Great society
New major federal programs that addressed civil rights, education, medical care, urban problems, rural poverty, and transportation were launched during this period. -
Miranda v. Arizona
a Supreme Court case that established that the police must inform a suspect of their rights before questioning them in custody -
25th amendment
clarifies that the vice president becomes president if the president dies, resigns, or is removed from office by impeachment -
26th amendment
established the minimum age to vote in the United States at 18 years old -
17th amendment
established the direct election of United States senators in each state. -
Roe v. Wade
was a landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in which the Court ruled that the Constitution of the United States generally protected a right to have an abortion -
27th amendment
any change to the salary of a member of Congress can only take effect after the next House of Representatives election -
Bosh v. Gore
was a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court on December 12, 2000, that settled a recount dispute in Florida's 2000 presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore -
Lawrence v. Texas
Supreme Court in which the Court ruled that U.S. state laws criminalizing sodomy between consenting adults are unconstitutional