Course Details

This is a survey course. It familiarizes students with key Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, including the First, Second, Fourth, Sixth, Eighth, Thirteenth, and Fifteenth. The course concentrates on the examination of individual constitutional rights derived primarily from the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments. Special attention is paid to jurisprudence emerging from individuals' claims against state and federal governments. The class will study due process and the equal protection jurisprudence to better understand the specific topics covered that will range from contraception and abortion to affirmative action and marriage. Students will analyze the constitutionality of laws that classify individuals on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, religion, and other social and legal statuses.

All of the class readings are in the course packet, which will be available for downloading from the course TWEN site. For the first class meeting, please read the material listed under “Introduction to the Post-Civil War Amendments: Privileges and Immunities.”