This Saturday marks the 235th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution in Philadelphia....
Contributor Information
Robert G. Natelson
Senior Fellow in Constitutional Jurisprudence, Independence Institute
Biography
Professor Robert G. Natelson is a constitutional scholar and author.
Rob’s constitutional scholarship has been cited repeatedly by justices and parties at the U.S. Supreme Court—as well as by federal appeals courts, and at least 18 state supreme courts.
Rob’s research into the Constitution’s original meaning has carried him to libraries throughout the United States and in Britain, including four months at Oxford University. His books and articles span many different parts of the Constitution, including groundbreaking studies of the Necessary and Proper Clause, the Indian Commerce Clause, federalism, Founding-Era interpretation, regulation of elections, and the amendment process of Article V. He created the first-ever online bibliography for 18th century materials used in constitutional research. He is a contributing author to the Encyclopedia of the Supreme Court of the United States (on Magna Carta). He contributed eight essays to the third edition of the Heritage Guide to the Constitution: five on the amendment procedure and one each on the Guarantee Clause, the Postal Clause, and the Recess Appointments Clause.
U.S. Supreme Court justices have relied explicitly on Rob’s research in 41 citations in 13 separate cases.
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Independence Day
Over the years, as I have contemplated writing my annual Independence Day message, I have...
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Ensuring the Perpetuation of Our Political Institutions
In the late 1830s, increasingly bitter disputes over slavery were turning violent and sometimes deadly....
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Book Review: The Nation That Never Was: Reconstructing America’s Story, by Kermit Roosevelt III
I have never left a bookstore empty-handed. That may seem an idle boast, but it’s...
Becoming a Revolutionary | Son of Liberty, Man of Law: John Adams & the Boston Massacre Trial
To kick off the all new season of the FedSoc Films Podcast, we spoke with...
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December Is a Good Time to Celebrate the American Revolution
This month includes the anniversary of a historic action taken by the British Crown that...
The Meaning of "Regulate Commerce" to the Constitution's Ratifiers
Robert G. Natelson
Federalist Society Review, Volume 23
I. Previous Scholarship[1] A. Views of “Commerce”: Traditional and “Mega” The Constitution grants Congress power...
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Thanksgiving Day Remembrance
With Thanksgiving upon us and our thoughts focused on family, food, and football, it is...
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Response to The Original Understanding of the Indian Commerce Clause: An Update
I thank the Federalist Society for the opportunity to briefly respond to Robert Natelson’s recent...
The Mind of James Madison | Madison and the Fight for the Constitution
Colleen Sheehan
In this episode of the FedSoc Films Podcast, Samantha interviews Colleen A. Sheehan, Professor of...
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Constitution Day: A Cause for Celebration, and Recommitment
This Saturday marks the 235th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution in Philadelphia....