- 450 Level: Advanced (ADV)
- History
Grades: 11, 12
Spring
PREREQ: Starting with the Class of 2028, completion of both History 200 courses and one 300-level History course
The United States Constitution has been described as the most democratic document ever. Yet we are still struggling with profound questions some 230 years after it was originally ratified. How powerful should the federal government be? What is more important: freedom or security? Should there be limits to free speech? What constitutes illegal discrimination? When should the police be allowed to search your home? Can the United States engage in war without officially declaring it? This class will grapple with these questions and more by examining the Constitution and how the Supreme Court has interpreted it. Students will analyze Supreme Court opinions, study relevant historical context and wrestle with modern legal, philosophical and political scholarship. Classes will often revolve around seminar discussions. Throughout the semester, students will be assessed through essays, tests, graded discussions, presentations and research assignments. Toward the end of the semester, each student will select a particular constitutional issue to explore in the modern context. For this project, students may analyze case law and legislative history, interview city, state or federal officials, or shadow lawyers, judges, police officers, and local policy advocates. The end product will be a comprehensive advocacy letter, the presentation of a policy proposal to a panel of professionals or the production of a documentary.
- Grade 11
- Grade 12