The US Constitution through History

Explore the history of the US Constitution from its conception through 230 years of discussions and debates.

Overview Course No. 30210

The United States is founded on diverse ideas that sometimes conflict. This course offers 24 in-depth lectures on how Americans have navigated these tensions through the Constitution. Professor Berger guides you through the constitutional history, exploring its evolution and impact on the nation today.

Video Lectures

01: America’s Founding Ideas

Discover the English roots of American law and the revolutionary tensions that shaped the nation.

• Duration: 37 min

02: Failures of Early American Governments

Reflect on the Articles of Confederation and their inability to handle crises, leading to calls for a new system.

• Duration: 35 min

03: Dilemmas of the Constitutional Convention

Explore the pivotal debates at the 1787 Philadelphia Convention that crafted a new national government.

• Duration: 34 min

04: The Ratification of the Constitution

See how different states navigated the ratification debates and ultimately approved the new Constitution.

• Duration: 35 min

05: The Bill of Rights as a Concession

Learn about the creation of the Bill of Rights to safeguard individual liberties and its lasting impact.

• Duration: 34 min

06: The Rise of Federal Power: Hamilton’s Bank

Examine Alexander Hamilton’s arguments for a central bank and federal economic direction.

• Duration: 34 min

07: Constitutional Issues of Westward Expansion

Analyze the constitutional challenges of expansion during Jefferson’s presidency and the Louisiana Purchase.

• Duration: 34 min

08: The Law of Slavery under the Constitution

Delve into the contradictions of slavery and equality enshrined in the early Constitution.

• Duration: 35 min

09: Constitutional Roots of Sectional Tensions

Investigate how slavery and Supreme Court decisions like Dred Scott fueled sectional conflicts.

• Duration: 36 min

10: Lincoln, Civil War, and the Constitution

Reflect on the constitutional dilemmas of secession and civil liberties during the Civil War.

• Duration: 36 min

11: Emancipation and the Thirteenth Amendment

Explore Lincoln’s path to ending slavery through executive action and constitutional amendment.

• Duration: 36 min

12: The Fourteenth Amendment and Freedom’s Meaning

Consider how the 14th Amendment aimed to define citizenship and equality after the Civil War.

• Duration: 35 min

13: Reconstruction Politics and Voting Rights

Unpack the political struggles during Reconstruction, including the fight for African American voting rights.

• Duration: 35 min

14: Reconstruction’s Broken Legal Promises

Examine the failures of Reconstruction’s promises due to political corruption and economic downturn.

• Duration: 36 min

15: Equal Protection at the Turn of the Century

Shift focus to segregation laws and the disenfranchisement of African Americans post-Reconstruction.

• Duration: 35 min

16: The Constitution in the Progressive Era

Review the constitutional amendments of the Progressive Era addressing taxes, senate elections, and women’s suffrage.

• Duration: 36 min

17: World War I and the Birth of Free Speech

Explore early 20th-century limitations and legal battles over free speech during wartime.

• Duration: 35 min

18: The New Deal: The Constitution Transformed

Analyze how FDR’s New Deal challenged and redefined constitutional interpretations during the Great Depression.

• Duration: 36 min

19: Challenging Jim Crow in the Courts

Learn about civil rights legal battles post-WWII that began dismantling Jim Crow laws.

• Duration: 36 min

20: The Backlash against Brown v. Board of Education

Look at the challenges and civil rights efforts following the landmark desegregation ruling.

• Duration: 35 min

21: The ERA and the Battle over Women’s Rights

Review the push for and opposition to the Equal Rights Amendment and subsequent legal advancements.

• Duration: 38 min

22: Conservatism, Christianity, and the Court

Explore the conservative resurgence and its influence on the Supreme Court during the Reagan era.

• Duration: 38 min

23: History in Constitutional Interpretation

Debate the role of historical contexts and originalism in interpreting constitutional law.

• Duration: 36 min

24: The Unresolved Constitution

Conclude with the ongoing challenges and debates that shape the Constitution’s role in American society today.

• Duration: 41 min