Justices Sandra Day O’Connor, Stephen G. Breyer and Anthony M. Kennedy discuss with high school students the Edmonson v. Leesville Concrete Co. case and the Sixth Amendment right to trial by an impartial jury. The video complements the documentary Jury Selection: Edmonson v. Leesville Concrete Co.
A Conversation on Judicial Interpretation
Justices Stephen G. Breyer and Antonin Scalia and a group of students discuss the different theories, primarily Originalism vs. The Living Constitution, of how to interpret and apply the Constitution to cases. A PDF lesson guide accompanies this video
A Conversation on Search and Seizure
Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and a group of high school students discuss the Fourth Amendment right against unreasonable search and seizure and the importance of the exclusionary rule. This video complements the documentary Search and Seizure: Mapp v. Ohio.
One School’s Fight: The Making of a Law
This documentary tells the story of a tiny school in Yosemite National Park that tries to solve its funding problem by getting a bill passed in Congress and, in the process, learns many lessons about how federal laws are made.
Thurgood
Thurgood is a production of the critically acclaimed one-man play starring Laurence Fishburne as Thurgood Marshall, a civil rights pioneer and the first African American to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court. The play recounts the milestones in the life and career of Marshall. Educators are required to register online to receive a personalized link to the video.
The Reconstruction Amendments
How did the Constitution change during Reconstruction? This video lecture is part of a an online course called “Introduction to Key Constitutional Concepts and Supreme Court Cases,” taught by University of Pennsylvania law professor Kermit Roosevelt III. The course explores these questions: Where does the Constitution come from? How has it changed over the years? How do we know what it means?
The Civil War and Reconstruction
Why was the Civil War fought? How did Reconstruction change the relationship between the federal government, the states and the people? This video lecture explores these questions. It’s part of an online course taught by University of Pennsylvania law professor Kermit Roosevelt III. “Introduction to Key Constitutional Concepts and Supreme Court Cases” covers the topics: Where does the Constitution come from? How has it changed over the years? How do we know what it means?
Anti-Federalism and Dissent in Constitutional History
Saul Cornell, from Fordham University, and James Basker, the president of the Gilder Lehrman Institute, discuss anti-federalism and dissent in constitutional history. Anti-federalists were advocates against the ratification of the Constitution.
Reconstruction and Citizenship
Historian Eric Foner, of Columbia University, discusses the major changes in citizenship during and after the Civil War, particularly for African Americans.
The Slaughterhouse Cases
Larry Kramer, former Dean of Stanford Law School and constitutional scholar, discusses the Slaughterhouse cases, and the rights of the federal government to legislate or control the states.