A Companion to the United States Constitution and Its Amendments, 6th Edition
321
A Companion to the United States Constitution and Its Amendments, 6th Edition
321eBook
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Overview
A document that is well past two centuries old, the U.S. Constitution remains as relevant and important today as during the time of our country's founding. Now in its sixth edition, this single-volume work offers a fair, non-partisan treatment of one of the most important documents in American history. The book begins with introductory background information on the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence and then presents a clause-by-clause explanation of the Constitution from the preamble through all of its amendments, addressing how each has been interpreted by the U.S. Supreme Court and other institutions throughout U.S. history.
This fully updated edition of A Companion to the United States Constitution and Its Amendments incorporates numerous new developments in the four years since the previous edition, including the appointments of new Supreme Court justices, impactful cases involving First Amendment rights for students, the Affordable Care Act, National Security Agency (NSA) data gathering, voting rights, campaign finance law, DNA sampling, and the ongoing battle over gay rights. As with the previous editions, John R. Vile provides a balanced and thorough treatment that identifies key Supreme Court decisions and other interpretations of the document while abstaining from unnecessarily complex and confusing explanations.
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781440833281 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | ABC-CLIO, Incorporated |
| Publication date: | 03/03/2015 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 321 |
| Lexile: | 1500L (what's this?) |
| File size: | 3 MB |
About the Author
John R. Vile, PhD, is professor of political science and dean of the University Honors College at Middle Tennessee State University.
Table of Contents
Preface to the Fifth Edition xiii
Acknowledgments xv
Chapter 1 The Background and Purposes of the Constitution 1
The Colonial Setting
The Declaration of Independence
The Background of the Declaration
The Purpose of the Document
The Idea of Equality of Human Rights
The Purpose of the Government
The Right of Revolution
Charges against the English King
Indictments against the King and the Parliament
War Atrocities and Slavery
Recapitulation of Earlier Petitions
Conclusion
The Articles of Confederation
The Background
The Principles and Structures
The Achievements and Problems
Prelude to the Constitutional Convention
The Constitutional Convention
The Delegates
The Rules
The Virginia Plan
The New Jersey Plan
Prominent Convention Issues and Compromises
Ratification of the Constitution
The Preamble
The Purposes of the Constitution
References and Suggestions for Further Study
Chapter 2 Article I: The Legislative Branch 21
The Outline of the Constitution and Separation of Powers
The Priority of the Legislative Branch
Bicameralism
The U.S. House of Representatives
Terms of Office and Qualifications for Voters
Qualifications for the House
Representation and Taxation
The Three-Fifths Clause
Initial State Representation
House Vacancies
The Speaker of the House
The Power of Impeachment
The U.S. Senate
Representation, Voting, and Terms
Staggered Senate Terms and Vacancies
Qualifications for the Senate
The Legislative Role of the Vice President
Other Senate Officers
Trials of Impeachment
The Consequences of Impeachment
Other Matters Involving Congressional Operations
Elections for Congress
Housekeeping Provisions
Congressional Compensation
Congressional Privilege
The Emoluments Clause
Article I, Section 7-Procedures for Passing Laws
The Origination Clause
Procedures for Lawmaking and Presidential Vetoes
The Presentment Clause
Article I, Section 8-Powers Granted to Congress
The Power of the Purse
Power to Regulate Commerce
A Note on Native Americans
Power over Naturalization and Bankruptcies
Coining Money and Establishing Uniform Standards
Establishing a Post Office and Promoting Scientific Advances
Establishing Lower Courts
War Powers
Calling the Militia
Governing the District of Columbia
Implied Powers
Congressional Investigations
Article I, Section 9-Limits on Congressional Powers
Slave Importation
The Suspension Clause and the Writ of Habeas Corpus
Bills of Attainder and Ex Post Facto Laws
Economic Protections for the States
The Appropriation of Money
Titles of Nobility
Article I, Section 10- Limits on the States
Powers Reserved to the National Government
The Contract Clause
Other Economic Limits on the States
References and Suggestions for Further Study
Chapter 3 Article II: The Executive Branch 57
A Single Executive
The Presidential Term
Presidential Selection and the Electoral College
Presidential Qualifications
The Vice President and Presidential Disability
The Presidential Salary
The Presidential Oath
Presidential Duties
Commander in Chief
Getting Advice from the Cabinet
Power to Pardon and Reprieve
Negotiation and Ratification of Treaties
Presidential Appointment and Removal Powers
Interim Presidential Appointments
The State of the Union Address
Power to Convene and Adjourn Congress
The President as Chief Diplomat
Power to Execute the Laws and Executive
Privilege
Commissioning of Military Officers
Presidential Impeachment
References and Suggestions for Further Study
Chapter 4 Article III: The Judicial Branch 77
Organization and Guidelines
The U.S. Supreme Court and Other Inferior Courts
Judicial Tenure
Judicial Qualifications
Judicial Compensation
The Number of Justices
Supreme Court Decisions
Jurisdiction
Cases Based on Subject Matter and Parties to the Suit
Cases of Original and Appellate Jurisdiction
Limits on the Judicial Branch
The Political Questions Doctrine
Judicial Powers
Statutory Interpretation and Judicial Review
Marbury v, Madison
Judicial Review in Practice
The Exceptions Clause
Protections
Trial by Jury
Treason
The Nature of Article III
References and Suggestions for Further Study
Chapter 5 Article IV: The Federal System 93
Three Forms of Government
Layer Cake or Marble Cake?
Obligations of States to One Another
The Full Faith and Credit Clause
The Privileges and Immunities Clause
Extradition
The Fugitive Slave Clause
The Admission of New States
Governing the Territories
Obligations of the Nation to the States
The Guarantee Clause
Rejected Doctrines of Federalism
Interposition
Nullification
Secession
The Status of Local Governments
References and Suggestions for Further Study
Chapter 6 Articles V-VII: The Amending Provision and Miscellaneous Matters 103
Amending Procedures
The Most Common Route for Proposal and Ratification
The Unused Convention Mechanism
Rescissions and Time Limits
Is the Amending Process Exclusive?
Unamendable Provisions
The History of Amendments in the United States
Article VI
The Continuing Validity of Debts
The Supremacy Clause
Oaths of Office and Prohibition of Religious Tests
Article VII
Ratification of the Constitution
The Attestation Clause
References and Suggestions for Further Study
Chapter 7 The Bill of Rights-The First Amendment 113
Background
Application of the Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights: A Floor or a Ceiling?
The Idea of Rights
The Placement of the First Amendment
The Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses
The Three-Part Lemon Test and the Wall of Separation
Application of the Establishment Clause
To Schools
In Other Contexts
The Free Exercise Clause and the Belief/Practice Dichotomy
Application of the Free Exercise Clause
Justifications for Freedom of Speech,
Tests for Subversive Speech
Subsidiary Principles
Obscenity
Symbolic Speech
Fighting Words and True Threats
Libel
Commercial Speech
Campaign Contributions
Freedom of the Press and Prior Restraint
Other Issues
Assembly and Petition
References and Suggestions for Further Study
Chapter 8 The Bill of Rights: Of Arms and Men-Amendments 2-3 137
The Right to Bear Arms
The Prohibition against Quartering Troops
References and Suggestions for Further Study
Chapter 9 The Bill of Rights and the Rights of the Accused and the Convicted-Amendments 4-8 141
Searches and Seizures
An Amendment in Two Parts
The Reasonableness Requirement
Warrant Requirements
Administrative Searches
The Exclusionary Rule
Indictment by Grand Jury
The Double Jeopardy Provision
Protection against Self-incrimination
Real Evidence versus Testimonial Evidence
The Due Process Clause
The Takings Clause
Speedy and Public Trials
Right to a Petit Jury
The Rights of Notification, Confrontation, and Compulsory Process
The Right to Counsel
Petit Juries in Common Law Cases
The Eighth Amendment
Bail and Fines
Capital Punishment
Recidivism Laws and Proportionality Concerns
References and Suggestions for Further Study
Chapter 10 The Bell of Rights, the Rights of the States (Amendments 9-10), and Amendments 11 and 12 161
The Ninth Amendment and the Right to Privacy
Two Prominent Views of the Amendment
Birth Control and
Abortion
Other Privacy Issues
The Tenth Amendment and States' Rights
The Eleventh Amendment and Suits against the State
The Twelfth Amendment and the Electoral College
Postscript to the Election of 2000
References and Suggestions for Further Study
Chapter 11 The Post-Civil War Amendments-Amendments 13-15 175
Background
The Thirteenth Amendment and the End of Slavery
Citizenship Provisions of the Fourteenth Amendment
Three Important Guarantees
Supreme Court Decisions Limiting the Impact of the Fourteenth Amendment
Brown and the Rebirth of the Fourteenth Amendment
School Busing and Affirmative Action Programs
Equal Protection and Gender-Based Classifications
Equal Protection and Other Classifications
Equal Protection and Legislative Apportionment
A Rebirth of the Due Process Clause?
Reversing the Three-Fifths Clause
Restrictions on Former Rebels
Valid and Invalid Public Debts
Enforcement of the Fourteenth Amendment
The Fifteenth Amendment
The Lesson of the Postwar Amendments
References and Suggestions for Further Study
Chapter 12 The Progressive Era Amendments-Amendments 16-19 195
The Sixteenth Amendment and the National Income Tax
The Seventeenth Amendment and the Election of U.S. Senators
The Eighteenth Amendment and the National Prohibition of Alcohol
The Nineteenth Amendment and Women's Suffrage
References and Suggestions for Further Study
Chapter 13 The Recent Amendments-Amendments 20-27 203
The Lame-Duck Amendment
Presidential Vacancies
The Repeal of National Alcohol Prohibition
A Limit on Presidential Terms of Office
Electoral Votes for the District of Columbia
The Prohibition of Poll Taxes
Vacancies and Disabilities
Vacancies in the Vice Presidency
Cases of Presidential Disability
Eighteen-Year-Olds and the Right to Vote
A Twenty-seventh Amendment?
Author's Postscript on the American Future
References and Suggestions for Further Study
Reading Supreme Court Decisions 215
Locating Cases and Understanding Citations
Briefing Cases
Fifty Case Names and Decisions
Glossary 223
Highlights of Constitutional History 241
U.S. Supreme Court Justices 253
Appendix 1 The Constitution of the United States 257
Appendix 2 The Declaration of Independence 275
Appendix 3 The Articles of Confederation 279
Index 289