The term civil liberties refers to the "freedoms that individuals enjoy and that governments cannot invade". These rights include a persons freedom of speech and religion.

Civil rights refer to the "powers and privileges that belong to us by virtue of our status as citizens". Examples of civil rights include a persons right to vote and to equal treatment under the law. The terms civil liberties and civil rights are alike in that they are critical factors in creating a democratic society. Because we are guaranteed these liberties and rights, we are in turn able to keep this democratic society in existence. Civil liberties and rights differ in how they need to be protected. Civil liberties need protection from the government. They have to be secure so that the government cannot invade them and take them away from any individual. Civil rights, on the other hand, need protection by the government so that they are not infringed upon by others. Civil liberties are basic freedoms granted to individuals in the Bill of Rights. Civil rights are constitutional guarantees, which means they are granted to individuals with the body of the Constitution in the form of amendments. Many civil rights were granted after the Constitution was written, but civil liberties were included in the Constitution since their adoption in the Bill of Rights in 1791.