Year 8 Civil Rights Glossary

Question 1

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION

Answer 1

Action taken by a government to give preferential treatment to a group that is often treated unfairly

Question 2

CONSTITUTION

Answer 2

The set of rules and principles that set out how a country is run

Question 3

CIVIL LIBERTIES

Answer 3

The laws that establish the rights of citizens

Question 4

CIVIL RIGHTS

Answer 4

The rights of citizens to political and social freedom and equality regardless of race

Question 5

INTEGRATION

Answer 5

The action or process of joining or mixing different groups of people.

Question 6

LYNCHING

Answer 6

The act of killing someone without a legal trial, usually by hanging.

Question 7

NATION OF ISLAM

Answer 7

Muslim group, founded 1930, believed in separate state for black Americans.

Question 8

POLL TAX

Answer 8

A type of tax on every individual adult.

Question 9

RACISM

Answer 9

Discrimination and prejudice based on race or ethnicity

Question 10

SOUTHERN STATES/NORTHERN STATES

Answer 10

The US states which fought against each other in the Civil War 1861-5. The South was pro-slavery and the North was anti-slavery.

Question 11

SEGREGATION

Answer 11

The policy of keeping one group of people apart from another (usually based on race or religion)