Freedom 101, Ep. 15: That’s In The Constitution?
In this lecture, Dr. Wert explains some seemingly arcane terms in the Constitution: letters of mark and reprisal, bills of attainder, and titles of nobility. He argues that these forgotten parts of...
View ArticleFreedom 101, Ep. 16: Who or What is a Person?
The Constitution uses the word “person” 21 times. Today, the concept of personhood is at the center of disputes over abortion and corporate speech. Dr. Lindsay Robertson explains how the idea of a...
View ArticleFreedom 101, Ep. 17: Slavery and the Constitution
The 13th Amendment abolished slavery. Although the word “slave” appeared nowhere in the Constitution until the 13th Amendment, the politics of slavery – and the compromises it demanded – lie behind...
View ArticleFreedom 101, Ep. 18: Race and the Constitution
Since the ratification of the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments, the Supreme Court has ruled in numerous landmark cases respecting race and the law. Sweatt v. Painter (1950), for example, helped to...
View ArticleFreedom 101, Ep. 19: Habeas Corpus
In this lecture, Dr. Wert explores the meaning of “habeas corpus.” Although it sounds like an arcane legal term, habeas corpus is a cornerstone of American freedom. Reaching back before Magna Carta,...
View ArticleFreedom 101, Ep. 20: Federalism and the Constitution
In this lecture, Professor Lindsay Robertson explores the fundamental concept of federalism – the division of power between the federal government and the states – in its constitutional dimensions. He...
View ArticleFreedom 101, Ep. 21: Religious Freedom
Religious freedom is, to be sure, very much a live issue in American constitutional law. The First Amendment includes a clause that states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of...
View ArticleFreedom 101, Ep. 22: Marbury vs. Madison
Marbury vs. Madison was a landmark case that is still the foundation of judicial review. In this lecture, Professor Lindsay Robertson takes us through the fascinating history behind the case and...
View ArticleFreedom 101, Ep. 23: Establishment Clause
The Establishment Clause, originally intended to prevent the national government from establishing an official religion, has much broader implications for the relations between church and state....
View ArticleFreedom 101, Ep. 24: Federalism in the 20th Century
Federalism – the division of powers between national and lower-level governments – has been a defining quality of American constitutionalism from its inception. In many ways, the story of federalism,...
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