The Structure of the Constitution

The Structure of the Constitution

These videos cover the basics of what the Constitution is, and how and why it was written.  Dozens of videos include discussions of other founding documents like the Declaration of Independence and state constitutions; how the Founders utilized the common law and British precedent; popular sovereignty; and why the Constitution needed to be a written document.

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5 of 27: How the Founders Perfected the British System [No. 86]

How much did the authors of the U.S. Constitution borrow from the British system? What did they change? Professor Michael McConnell discusses some of the similarities and differences between the US Constitution and the British constitutional history ... How much did the authors of the U.S. Constitution borrow from the British system? What did they change? Professor Michael McConnell discusses some of the similarities and differences between the US Constitution and the British constitutional history and experience the Framers brought with them to Philadelphia in the summer of 1787.

Michael William McConnell is a constitutional law scholar who served as a United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit from 2002 until 2009. Since 2009, McConnell has served as Director of the Stanford Constitutional Law Center at Stanford Law School.

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As always, the Federalist Society takes no position on particular legal or public policy issues; all expressions of opinion are those of the speaker.

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Other Videos in this Series

1

The Era of State Constitution Writing [No. 86]

2

The Importance of Structure v. Parchment Barriers [No. 86]

3

Diverse Views at the Founding [No. 86]

4

Why Should We be Bound by the Constitution? [No. 86]

5

How the Founders Perfected the British System [No. 86]

6

The Importance of the Preamble - “We the People” are Sovereign [No. 86]

7

A Democratic Version of Britain’s Mixed Regime [No. 86]

8

Slavery, States Rights, and the Constitution [No. 86]

9

The Structural Constitution as a Protection for Liberty [No. 86]

10

Due Process of Law [No. 86]

11

Why Do We Need a Structural Constitution? [No. 86]

12

The Law of Democracy [No. 86]

13

What is Popular Sovereignty? [No. 86]

14

What Kind of Document is the Constitution? [No. 86]

15

Why a Written Constitution? [No. 86]

16

The Common Law Part I: What is Common Law and What Role Did it Play in England? [No. 86]

17

The Common Law Part II: What Role Did Common Law Play in the New American Government? [No. 86]

18

How Did the Founders Decide on the Separation of Powers? [No. 86]

19

How Do the Legislative and Executive Powers Balance Each Other? [No. 86]

20

The Declaration & Constitution: Original Public Meaning [No. 86]

21

How Does the Structure of the Constitution Uphold the Rule of Law? [No. 86]

22

How Do Constitutional Property Rights Enable Economic Growth? [No. 86]

23

Government Intervention in the Economy During a Financial Crisis [No. 86]

24

Separation of Powers and Specialization [No. 86]

25

The Declaration & Constitution: The Framing of a Nation [No. 86]

26

How Federal Legislative Power Differs from State Legislative Power [No. 86]

27

Text, Structure, and History in Constitutional Law Casebooks [No. 86]

About this Module

Total run time:

1h 23m

Course:

Total videos:

27

Difficulty:

First Year