Question 1

What did the USA PATRIOT Act do?

Accepted Answer

The USA PATRIOT Act (Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act) was passed by the US Congress in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. One of its main provisions was the expansion of government surveillance powers to allow for the monitoring of electronic communications, including phone calls and Internet traffic, without a warrant. This controversial law has been a subject of debate on civil liberties and privacy concerns.

Question 2

Which of the following was the basis for the Supreme Court's 1965 decision, in Griswold v. Connecticut, a case involving the legality of contraceptives?

Accepted Answer

The Supreme Court determined that the Connecticut law prohibiting the use of contraceptives violated the right to privacy, which was implied in the Bill of Rights and the Constitution.

Question 3

What legal requirement is established in Gideon v. Wainwright?

Accepted Answer

Gideon v. Wainwright established the legal requirement that if someone cannot afford an attorney, the government must provide one.

Question 4

Which constitutional right(s) inferred by the Court has been used to protect unlisted rights such as reproductive rights?

Accepted Answer

The Court has inferred a right to privacy from the Fourteenth Amendment's Due Process Clause, which has been used to protect unlisted rights such as reproductive rights in cases such as Roe v. Wade (1973).

Question 5

According to the Supreme Court, a woman's right to seek an abortion is based on which of the following?

Accepted Answer

The Supreme Court has held that a woman's right to seek an abortion is based on the right of privacy, which is implied by various amendments to the Constitution. In Roe v. Wade (1973), the Court ruled that a woman's right to choose to have an abortion is protected by the Fourteenth Amendment's Due Process Clause, which protects an individual's liberty interests, including the right to make intimate decisions regarding one's body and personal relationships. The Court also held that this right is grounded in the explicit or implicit guarantees of the Constitution, including the Bill of Rights, which includes the First, Third, Fourth, Ninth, and Fourteenth Amendments. The Court has subsequently reaffirmed this holding in various other cases, including Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992) and Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt (2016).

Question 6

Which of the following best describes the constitutional status of the claimed right to choose physician-assisted suicide?

Accepted Answer

The Supreme Court has determined that the issue of physician-assisted suicide is best handled at the state level, allowing states to regulate the practice as they see fit. This approach respects the diversity of opinion and legal standards across the United States.

Question 7

What is the state required to ensure that criminals have according to Gideon v. Wainwright?

Accepted Answer

According to the landmark Supreme Court case Gideon v. Wainwright, the state is required to provide counsel to defendants who cannot afford their own in criminal cases.

Question 8

Which of the following best captures the Supreme Court's ruling in regard to physician-assisted suicide?

Accepted Answer

The Supreme Court ruled in the case of Washington v. Glucksberg (1997) that the liberty interest protected by the Constitution does not include a right to commit suicide. Therefore, physician-assisted suicide is not protected by the Constitution and individual states can choose whether or not to legalize it.

Question 9

What did the Court rule in Roe v. Wade that states could do regarding abortion?

Accepted Answer

The Court ruled that states cannot limit a woman's right to seek an abortion during the first trimester of pregnancy. However, they could place restrictions on abortions in the second and third trimesters based on the state's interest in protecting the health of the mother and the potential life of the fetus.

Question 10

Which of the following statements about the PATRIOT Act is correct?

Accepted Answer

The PATRIOT Act does permit the government to secretly search a suspected terrorist's home.

Question 11

Which of the following technologies gives law enforcement officials opportunities to track offenders and, consequently, constitutes potential threats to the right to privacy and raises the concerns of those opposed to the PATRIOT Act?

Accepted Answer

Wireless devices, such as smartphones and GPS trackers, give law enforcement officials the ability to track offenders and potentially infringe upon their right to privacy. This technology is often cited as a concern by opponents of the PATRIOT Act. The other options, such as land-line phones, movie subscription services, red light cameras, and video game subscription services, do not involve the same level of surveillance or privacy concerns as wireless devices.

Question 12

The PATRIOT Act allowed what constitutionally questionable law enforcement technique  to combat terrorists?

Accepted Answer

The PATRIOT Act allowed for roving wiretaps, which allow law enforcement to track communication on all types of electronic devices without specifying the particular device being used. This has raised concerns about potential violations of Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable searches and seizures.

Question 13

What has the extensive use of personal information by websites, such as Facebook and LinkedIn, raised constitutional questions about?

Accepted Answer

The extensive use of personal information by websites like Facebook and LinkedIn raises constitutional questions about the right to privacy. Users may feel that their personal information is being collected and used without their consent, which can be seen as a violation of their right to privacy.

Question 14

According to the Supreme Court ruling in Roe v. Wade, which of the following restrictions may the state place on abortions?

Accepted Answer

According to the Supreme Court ruling in Roe v. Wade, during the third trimester, the state may regulate or prevent abortions. However, in this trimester, the state must allow exceptions for the woman's health. Restrictions may also be placed on post-viability abortions, but they must allow for exceptions to protect the health and life of the mother.

Question 15

Which of the following is true of the decision in Roe v. Wade?

Accepted Answer

The decision in Roe v. Wade established a woman's constitutional right to abortion, and it invalidated many restrictive state abortion laws. It did not limit abortion to the first trimester, but rather established a framework for states to regulate abortions based on the viability of the fetus. The decision has been challenged and redefined by subsequent cases, but it remains a foundational case for abortion rights.

Question 16

In which case did the Supreme Court void laws against married couples using birth control?

Accepted Answer

The Supreme Court voided laws against married couples using birth control in the case of Griswold v. Connecticut in 1965. This case contributed to the constitutional right to privacy and paved the way for the landmark decision in Roe v. Wade.

Question 17

What did the right to privacy apply to in Griswold v. Connecticut?

Accepted Answer

The right to privacy in Griswold v. Connecticut applied to the use of contraceptives. The case established that the Constitution protects a right to privacy that includes the right to use contraception.

Question 18

In Griswold v. Connecticut, the Court invalidated a state law that did which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Griswold v. Connecticut invalidated a state law that made the use of birth control devices a crime.

Question 19

What was the decision in the case of Roe v. Wade?

Accepted Answer

The decision in Roe v. Wade was that the U.S. Constitution protects a woman's right to terminate a pregnancy through abortion. This landmark case legalized abortion nationwide, but also allowed individual states to regulate abortion access during certain stages of pregnancy.

Question 20

Where can the  right to privacy  be found in the Constitution?

Accepted Answer

The right to privacy is not explicitly referenced in the Constitution, but it has been interpreted and recognized by the Supreme Court as being implied in various amendments, such as the Fourth Amendment's protection against unreasonable searches and seizures, the Fifth Amendment's protection of personal autonomy, and the Fourteenth Amendment's due process clause.

Quiz 4: Civil Liberties