Exam Type: One Day Take-home

This course provides an introduction to the U.S. Constitution – the government structures it establishes and contemplates, and the rights and liberties it recognizes and protects. Structural topics include the original design of the federal government and the role of slavery in that design; judicial review; federalism and the Supremacy Clause; and separation of powers. The Civil War Amendments (Thirteen, Fourteen and Fifteen) will be considered. The Fourteenth Amendment’s provisions for equal protection and due process of law provide the basis for many individual rights, including those relating to racial equality, gender equality, family life, and aspects of personal autonomy, that will be studied. Other topics may be considered as well.