12 Modules for Constitutional Law I (Structure and Powers)

This year, professors will have to adapt their classes for distance learning. One helpful tip is to break down the doctrine into small, manageable bites. The buzzword is module, which is synonymous with unit or topic. To help professors, I have divided the corpus of constitutional law into separate modules. Each module will link to a set of Powerpoint slides, as well as previews of videos from An Introduction to Constitutional Law. The slides are free. Students can purchase our book ($23.99) to access the full video library. I encourage professors to consider recommending our supplement for this semester. Our book matches up with all of the leading casebooks. If you would like a review copy, please e-mail me: josh-at-joshblackman-dot-com.

This post will focus on Constitutional Law I (Structure and Powers). Tomorrow I will post sixteen modules for Constitutional Law II (Rights and Equal Protection). And on Wednesday, I will share seven modules for an upper-level First Amendment Class (Speech and Religion).

Module 1: Foundational Cases on Constitutional Structure

• Marbury v. Madison (1803)
• McCulloch v. Maryland (1819)
• Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)
• Barron v. Baltimore (1833)

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=videoseries?list=PLMIM2V8Vm4Yrt_FFBXkRBWarf6im4NhXQ&w=500&h=281]

 

Module 2: Enumerated Powers in the 19th Century

• Prigg v. Pennsylvania (1842)
• United States v. Dewitt (1869)
• Hepburn v. Griswold (1870)
• Knox v. Lee (1871)

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=videoseries?list=PLMIM2V8Vm4YqaLy_6w7MKAVoZdlL9iWJL&w=500&h=281]

Module 3: Enumerated Powers in the Progressive Era 

• United States v. E.C. Knight (1895)
• Champion v. Ames (1903)
• Hammer v. Dagenhart (1918)

 

Module 4: Enumerated Powers During the New Deal

• Schechter Poultry Corp. v. United States (1935) 
• NLRB v. Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp. (1937)
• United States v. Darby (1941)
• Wickard v. Filburn (1942)

 

Module 5: Enumerated Powers on the Warren Court

• Heart of Atlanta Motel v. United States (1964)
• Katzenbach v. McClung (1964)

 

Module 6: Enumerated Powers on the Rehnquist and Roberts Courts

• United States v. Lopez (1995)
• United States v. Morrison (2000)
• Gonzales v. Raich (2005)
• NFIB v. Sebelius (2012)

 

Module 7: The Spending Power

• South Dakota v. Dole (1987)
• NFIB v. Sebelius (2012)

 

Module 8: The Tenth Amendment

• New York v. United States (1992)
• Printz v. United States (1997)

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=videoseries?list=PLMIM2V8Vm4YpfA-NwA-Sp-Kh3Gw17xYoE&w=500&h=281]

 

Module 9: The Eleventh Amendment

• Chisholm v. Georgia (1793)
• Hans v. State of Louisiana (1890) 
• Seminole Tribe of Florida v. Florida (1996)

 

Module 10: Section 5 of the Fourteenth Amendment

• City of Boerne v. Flores (1997)
• United States v. Morrison (2000)
• Board of Trustees of University of Alabama v. Garrett (2001)
• Nevada Department of Human Resources v. Hibbs (2003)

 

Module 11: The Executive Power

• Ex Parte Merryman (1861)
• Youngstown Sheet & Tube Company v. Sawyer (1952)
• Korematsu v. United States (1944)

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=videoseries?list=PLMIM2V8Vm4YqdLoqCizSB9f4YoO5bnU_9&w=500&h=281]

 

Module 12: The Separation of Powers

• Morrison v. Olson (1988)
• NLRB v. Noel Canning (2014)

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=videoseries?list=PLMIM2V8Vm4Yo8KdfAdyoirNuaeuXvjmdp&w=500&h=281]