United States Legal and Constitutional History since 1850

4 credits · Undergraduate

This course explores some of the major questions and problems of United States legal history since 1850. The course weaves together historical and legal approaches and materials. Themes include federalism and the evolving nature of constitutional authority; citizenship and rights; law and economic change; law and social movements; and popular understandings of ‘the law.’ We will look to the “high” sphere of constitutional jurisprudence and to other legal and extra-legal arenas where law was applied, argued over, and worked out. By the end of this course, you should be able to analyze different kinds of legal texts; understand key legal concepts and doctrines; and make evidence-based arguments about core themes in legal history.