The U.S. Constitution and Constitutional LawAlthough one of the shortest written constitutions in the world, the U.S. Constitution, designed to embody the rights, laws, and guiding principles of a diverse and ever-changing populace, remains an enduring document. Since its ratification in 1787, the Constitution has been applied to a broad range of legal and political questions and, while often the subject of much debate, continues to serve as a stalwart reminder of the country s social and legal strides. This detailed volume breaks down each section of the Constitution and its amendments, also providing a concise overview of the field of constitutional law as it is applied around the world and in various forms of government. |
Contents
| 1 | |
| 3 | |
| 10 | |
| 11 | |
Chapter 2 The Bill of Rights | 13 |
First Amendment | 15 |
Freedoms of Speech Press Assembly and Petition | 16 |
Permissible Restrictions on Expression | 17 |
Nineteenth Amendment | 77 |
Twentieth Amendment | 81 |
Twentyfirst Amendment | 85 |
Twentysecond Amendment | 88 |
Twentythird Amendment | 91 |
Twentyfourth Amendment | 94 |
Twentyfifth Amendment | 96 |
Twentysixth Amendment | 102 |
Obscenity | 19 |
Speech on Goverment Property and in Governmentrun Institutions | 20 |
Related Rights | 21 |
Free Exercise of Religion | 24 |
The Establishment Clause | 26 |
Second Amendment | 29 |
Supreme Court Interpretations | 30 |
Origins and Historical Antecedents | 32 |
Third Amendment | 33 |
Fourth Amendment | 34 |
Fifth Amendment | 36 |
Double Jeopardy | 37 |
Due Process | 38 |
Takings | 39 |
Sixth Amendment | 40 |
Seventh Amendment | 43 |
Eighth Amendment | 44 |
Ninth Amendment | 47 |
Tenth Amendment | 49 |
Chapter 3 The Eleventh through Twentyseventh Amendments | 52 |
Twelfth Amendment | 54 |
Thirteenth Amendment | 57 |
Fourteenth Amendment | 60 |
Reconstruction | 66 |
Fifteenth Amendment | 68 |
Sixteenth Amendment | 70 |
Seventeenth Amendment | 72 |
Eighteenth Amendment | 74 |
Chapter 4 Constitutional Law | 109 |
Characteristics of Constitutions | 114 |
Unitary and Federal Systems | 119 |
Devolution | 123 |
Federal and Semifederal States | 124 |
Unitary States | 126 |
International Unions of States | 127 |
Executives and Legislatures | 128 |
Monarchial Systems | 129 |
Presidential Systems | 130 |
Parliamentary Systems | 132 |
Other Systems | 135 |
Unicameral and Bicameral Legislatures | 137 |
Judicial Review | 139 |
Conclusion | 143 |
Appendix Text of the USConstitution | 145 |
Article II | 153 |
ArticleIII | 156 |
Article IV | 158 |
ArticleV | 159 |
Article VI | 160 |
Amendments | 162 |
Notes | 173 |
Glossary | 175 |
| 179 | |
| 181 | |
Back Cover | 185 |
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