LAW 519 - The Civil War and the Constitution

Credits, 3 sem. hrs.

This course will examine the constitutional history of the United States from 1845 to 1877, paying attention to how the U.S. Constitution shaped the Civil War, and also to how the war left its mark on the Constitution. In this seminar, we will discuss such issues as congressional power to regulate slavery in the territories, the problem of race and slavery in constitutional law, suspension of civil liberties during wartime, congressional and presidential war powers, the respective powers of the state and federal governments, and the meaning of the Reconstruction (13th, 14th, and 15th) Amendments. Grades will be based on an original research paper, class participation, and a presentation on the research performed for the paper. The required paper will satisfy the writing requirement.

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