Law & Civics

The United States Constitution establishes the federal government's structure. Amendments provide a formal process for changing the…

The Bill of Rights, the Constitution's first ten amendments, guarantees fundamental individual freedoms.

The Electoral College formally elects the US president, with voters technically choosing electors.

The legislative branch makes laws, a role held by Congress in the United States.

The executive branch enforces laws and is headed in the United States by the president.

The judicial branch interprets laws through courts ranging from local courts up to the Supreme Court.

Amendments formally change a constitution, and the US Constitution has been amended twenty-seven times.

Due process requires fair government treatment, protecting against arbitrary denial of rights.

Habeas corpus protects against unlawful detention by requiring a detainee be brought before a court.

The right to a fair trial guarantees impartial proceedings and is recognized in international human rights law.

Voting rights, the legal right to participate in elections, have expanded significantly over history.

Civil rights protect against discrimination and expanded significantly through 20th-century movements.

Human rights, believed to belong to all people, are formally outlined in the Universal Declaration.

International law governs relations between nations across areas like trade, war, and human rights.

Contracts create enforceable obligations. Offer, acceptance and consideration are common-law concepts; not every legal system requires…

Property law governs ownership and use of both physical possessions and real estate.

The rule of law holds that everyone, including leaders, is subject to the law, a cornerstone of democracy.

Separation of powers divides authority among branches to prevent any one from becoming too powerful.

Checks and balances let each government branch limit the others, working with separation of powers.

Federalism divides power between national and state governments, letting states manage local matters.

The presumption of innocence places the burden of proof on prosecutors, not the accused.

The United Nations, founded in 1945 after World War II, promotes international peace and cooperation.