American Constitutional History presents a concise introduction to the constitutional developments that have taken place over the past 225 years, treating trends from history, law, and political science. Presents readers with a brief and accessible introduction to more than two centuries of U.S. constitutional history Explores constitutional history chronologically, breaking U.S. history into five distinct periods Reveals the full sweep of constitutional changes through a focus on issues relating to economic developments, civil rights and civil liberties, and executive power Reflects the evolution of constitutional changes all the way up to the conclusion of the June 2015 Supreme Court term
In the second revised and expanded edition of this invaluable reader, Michael Les Benedict draws together the important documents that have shaped and been shaped by the American Constitution from medieval times through the present day. It includes not only the most important Supreme Court decisions, but also key American declarations, resolutions, laws, and platforms. All these documents represent, in a sense, the formal expression of the American people's ongoing contract with each other. The documents in the reader are organized into chapters corresponding to those in the third edition of The Blessings of Liberty: A Concise History of the Constitution of the United States. However, since they reflect the generally accepted canon of American constitutional history, they may supplement any textbook or other readings. The brief introductory headnotes provide information about the social, political, and intellectual context in which each document first appeared.
Cultural history and themendment : New York Times v. Sullivan and its times / Kermit L. Hall -- New directions in American constitutional history -- Words as hard as cannon-balls : women's rights agitation -- And liberty of speech in nineteenth-century America / Sandra F. VanBurkleo -- Race, state, market, and civil society in constitutional history / Mark Tushnet -- Constitutional history and the "cultural turn" : cross -- Examining the legal-reelist narratives of Henry Fonda / Norman L. Rosenberg -- Contributors
This, the concise edition of Liberty and Union, is an abridged constitutional history of the United States, designed for short single-semester courses, comprising the key topics from Volumes 1 and 2. Written in a clear and engaging narrative style, it successfully unites thorough chronological coverage with a thematic approach, offering critical analysis of core constitutional history topics, set in the political, social, and economic context that made them constitutional issues in the first place. Combining a thoughtful and balanced narrative with an authoritative stance on key issues, the authors deliberately explain the past in the light of the past, without imposing upon it the standards of later generations. Authored by two experienced professors in the field, this concise edition presents seminal topics while retaining the narrative flow of the two full original volumes. An accessible alternative to dense scholarly works, this textbook avoids unnecessary technical jargon, defines legal terms and historical personalities where appropriate, and makes explicit connections between constitutional themes and historical events. For students in a short undergraduate or postgraduate constitutional history course, or anyone with a general interest in constitutional developments, this book will be essential reading. Useful features include: Full glossary of legal terminology Recommended reading A table of cases Extracts from primary documents Companion website Useful documents provided: Declaration of Independence Articles of Confederation Constitution of the United States of America Chronological list of Supreme Court justices
Using the British Empire as a case study, this succinct study argues that the establishment of overseas settlements in America created a problem of constitutional organization. The failure to resolve the resulting tensions led to the thirteen continental colonies seceding from the empire in 1776. Challenging those historians who have assumed that the British had the law on their side during the debates that led to the American Revolution, this volume argues that the empire had long exhibited a high degree of constitutional multiplicity, with each colony having its own discrete constitution. Contending that these constitutions cannot be conflated with the metropolitan British constitution, it argues that British refusal to accept the legitimacy of colonial understandings of the sanctity of the many colonial constitutions and the imperial constitution was the critical element leading to the American Revolution.
Designed to encourage critical thinking about history, the Major Problems series introduces students to both primary sources and analytical essays on important topics in US history.This collection, designed to be the primary anthology for the introductory survey course, covers the entire chronological span of Constitutional history.Tracing the historical development of American constitutional thought, the Second Edition of this anthology presents the documents critical to constitutional development, including actual legal texts as well as the reactions of prominent legal minds.
