| bill of rights | the first ten amendments to the constitution |
| civil liberties | the guarantees of the safety of persons, opinions, and property from the arbitrary acts of government, including freedom of speech and religion |
| alien | foreign-born resident, or noncitizen |
| due process clause | part of the 14th Amendment which guarantees that no state deny basic rights to its people |
| process of incorporation | the process of incorporating, or including, most of the guarantees in the Bill of Rights into the 14th Amendment's Due Process Clause |
| establishment clause | seperates Church and State |
| free excerise clause | the second part of the constitutional guarantee of religous freedom, which guarantees to each person the right to believe whatever he or she chooses to believe in matters of religion |
| libel | false and malicious use of printed words |
| slander | false and malicious use of spoken words |
| sedition | the crime of attempting to overthrow the government by force, or to disrupt its lawful activities by violent acts |
| sedition speech | the advocating, or urging, of any attempt to disrupt its lawful activities with violence |
| prior restraint | the government cannot curb ideas before they are expressed |
| shield law | a law which gives reporters some protection against having to disclose their sources or reveal other confidential info in legal proceedings |
| symbolic speech | expression by conduct; communicating ideas through facial expressions, body language, or by carrying a sign or wearing an arm band |
| parochial | church related |
| picketing | patrolling of a business site by workers who are on strike |
| assemble | to gather with another in order to express views on public matters |
| content neutral | the government may not regulate assemblieson the basis on what might be said |
| right of association | the right to associate with others to promote political, economic, and other social causes |