The Role of the Supreme Court in U.S. History
From the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History:
"Today, scarcely anyone questions the importance of the Supreme Court in American government and American politics. Indeed, we are often told we should worry about who becomes the next President because he or she will control appointments to the Court. Was the Court always this important? If not, how did it come to occupy that position? This course will examine some key moments in the history of the Court and the country. It will focus on the Court's opinions and look at them in the ways a lawyer does, but also study the historical context necessary to understand the evolving role of the Supreme Court. Critical moments we may look at include the Jeffersonian ascension and Marbury v. Madison, the Bank War and McCulloch v. Maryland, Progressivism and Lochner, the New Deal, segregation and Brown, free speech and NYT v. Sullivan, abortion and Roe v. Wade, Bush v. Gore, and others. Our objective will be to get a feel for how the Court works, how it handles controversial issues, and how it has secured its unique position in American politics."