America's Unwritten Constitution

This module introduces the course and basic techniques of constitutional interpretation. It includes welcome messages, course information, and an introduction to America's Unwritten Constitution.

This module covers the technique of understanding the Constitution by looking at issues the nation was dealing with at the time of the passage's adoption, essentially putting oneself in the framers' shoes.

This module teaches the interpretive technique of reading between the lines, which involves extracting implicit meanings from the constitutional text that are not expressly stated.

This module explores unenumerated rights that exist because Americans embody these rights in their everyday lives, such as owning pets, using contraception, and testifying at one's own trial.

This module examines the Warren-led Supreme Court (1953-1969) and its influential cases, discussing how the court arrived at their decisions and how these rulings changed American society.

This module discusses the role of precedent (prior court decisions) in constitutional interpretation, addressing how far courts should go when interpreting the Constitution and what to do with incorrect prior decisions.

This module examines documents outside the Constitution that influence its interpretation, such as the Declaration of Independence, The Federalist papers, Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, and Martin Luther King's I Have a Dream speech.

This module explores the changes in American society following the ratification of the 19th amendment, focusing on women's enfranchisement and its impact on legislation.

This module focuses on George Washington's influence on the presidency and how Article II of the Constitution was custom-written for the first president.

This module examines how the structure of each government branch affects their interactions, and how lawmakers have filled in constitutional "gaps" over time, setting new precedents.

This module chronicles the adoption and evolution of the two-party system in America, explaining how the Constitution changed to accommodate it and how the system became codified in the document.

This module discusses the role of conscience in government and how human elements interact with the constitutional text, examining codified manifestations like the veto and juror nullification.

This module looks to the future of the Constitution, discussing potential amendments and the concept of "constitutional trajectory." It also explores how today's legislators can be seen as "framers of the future."

This module provides additional, non-assessed content on topics such as racial discrimination in housing, same-sex marriage, constitutional interpretation modalities, the 4th Amendment exclusionary rule, and a Supreme Court case.

This module recapitulates the concepts learned in the course and discusses the instructor's hopes for the students who have completed America's Unwritten Constitution.