History 3551
Constitutional History of the United States
to 1877
Course description:
This is the companion
course to AMH 3552, Constitutional History of the United States from 1877. Both
courses focus on the development of the United States Constitution. This class
begins with the historical context in which the Constitution was written,
looking first at the English antecedents of American constitutional ideas,
moving to consideration of constitutional government during the colonial
period, and then considering constitutionalism during the late 18th
century. It then turns to the
constitutional ideas that dominated the 19th century, paying particular
attention to the problems of federalism and claims of states rights. The
semester ends with a consideration of the effect the Reconstruction Era
amendments had on the Constitution. In
Fall 2000 we will pay particular attention to the issues of federalism and
state’s rights.
Cases and
Materials: Constitutional History of the United States to 1877