Lecture Notes

Events Leading Up to the Constitution

• American Revolution and Declaration of Independence
• Articles of Confederation

Philosophical Foundations of the Constitution

• Philosophical Foundations of the Constitution

Creating, Ratifying and Amending the Constitution

• Constitutional Convention
• Comparison of Constitution and Articles of Confederation
• The Founding Fathers
• Ratifying the Constitution
• Amending the Constitution and the Bill of Rights

Congress and the Legislative Process

• Congress and the Legislative Process

The Presidency

• The Presidency

The Judiciary, Judicial Review, Judicial Safeguards

• Judiciary and Judicial Review
• Interpreting the Constitution: The 2nd Amendment
• Judicial Safeguards and the Bill of Rights

Voting Rights

• Voting Rights

Elections and the Electoral College

• Elections and the Electoral College

Constitutional Checks and Balances

• Checks and Balances

Constitutions of Other Countries

• Comparison of U.S., Saudi Arabia, & Japanese Constitutions

Political Parties

• Parties

Economic Concepts

• Introduction to Economics
• Markets, Profits,and Competition
• Demand and Supply

Economic Institutions

• Money and Banking
• Financing Government
• Government and the Economy
• Market Failure

Federalism

• Sovereignty and the Civil War
• State and Local Government

Individual Freedoms

• Freedom of Speech
• Freedom of Religion
• Right to Privacy
• Student Records
• Civil Rights Movement
• King's I Have a Dream Speech