History 375 - US Constitutional History II

The history of American constitutional law from the Reconstruction to the present. Not a casebook course. Major legal constitutional developments, especially the 14th Amendmentoits evolving character and its application. In the 20th century, civil liberties issues and cases; litigation involving nation-state relations, the commerce clause, apportionment, criminal justice cases, etc. Survey course in post-Civil War America to the present helpful.

U.S. Constitutional History since the Civil War. Comparison of US and Confederate constitutions will be the first topic. We will then focus on Reconstruction Amendments (13th, 14th, 15th). Evolution of legal doctrines concerning freedom of religion and speech. Non-discrimination law, especially concerning race and sexual orientation. Presidential emergency powers. Competing schools of thought on how to interpret the Constitution: originalism, pragmatism, etc.