Civil Liberties

Question 1

Mapp v. Ohio (1962)

Answer 1

It placed the requirement of excluding illegally obtained evidence from court at all levels of the government. (Illegally obtained evidence cannot be used in a court).

Question 2

Engel v. Vitale (1962)

Answer 2

The Supreme Court ruled that the reading of a nondenominational prayer in schools is in violation of the “establishment of religion” clause of the 1st amendment.

Question 3

Miranda v. Arizona

Answer 3

The Supreme Court ruled that citizens must be read their rights when arrested, in order to protect themselves from self-incrimination.

Question 4

Tinker v. Des Moines (1969)

Answer 4

The Court also held that the students did not lose their First Amendment rights to freedom of speech when they stepped onto school property. In order to justify the suppression of speech, the school officials must be able to prove that the conduct in question would “materially and substantially interfere” with the operation of the school.

Question 5

New York Times v. United States (1971)

Answer 5

US The Court ruled that it was okay for the NY Times to publish the papers because not publishing would have violated the free media and led to a less educated public. The publishing of the papers would also not lead to immediate danger.

Question 6

Furman v. Georgia (1972)

Answer 6

The court in Furman v. Georgia stated that unless a uniform policy of determining who is eligible for capital punishment exists, the death penalty will be regarded as “cruel and unusual punishment.”