The History of the Supreme Court

For more than two centuries, the Supreme Court has exerted extraordinary influence over the way we live our daily lives. The Court has defined the boundaries of our speech and actions since its first meeting in 1790, adding to our history books names such as John Marshall, Louis Brandeis, Hugo Black, Earl Warren, Thurgood Marshall, Warren Burger, William Rehnquist, and many others. Have you ever wondered what goes into shaping the Court's decisions - or the beliefs of its justices? Or how the nine justices blend divergent and often strongly conflicting philosophies to reach decisions that reflect consensus - or sometimes fail to? How even a single change in the Court's personnel can dramatically alter not only the Court's ideological balance but its cooperative chemistry, as well? Or what it actually sounded like in the Court as some of the most important cases in our history were argued? This series of 36 clear and insightful lectures - delivered by an award-winning teacher and widely respected authority on the Supreme Court - answers these questions and many more as it traces the development of the Court from a body having little power or prestige to its current status as, "the most powerful and prestigious judicial institution in the world." The lectures are rich in biographical snapshots of not only the justices but also the advocates who have stood before them and the dozens of ordinary men and women whose cases have reached the Court. Several historical recordings are also highlighted, giving you a front-row seat as you hear lawyers actually arguing before the Court, as well as the justices' replies.

All Lectures:
1. Personality and Principle
2. Shaping the Constitution and the Court
3. Ratification and the Bill of Rights
4. John Marshall Takes Control
5. Impeachment, Contract, and Federal Power
6. Roger Taney Takes Control
7. "A Small Pleasant-Looking Negro"
8. The Civil War Amendments
9. "Separate but Equal"
10. Two Justices from Boston
11. The Laissez-Faire Court
12. "Clear and Present Danger"
13. The Taft Court and the Twenties
14. Wins and Losses for New Deal Laws
15. "Court Packing" and Constitutional Revolution
16. The New Dealers Take Control
17. "Beyond the Reach of Majorities"
18. Pearl Harbor and Panic
19. The Supreme Court and the Communist Party
20. Thurgood Marshall - Lawyer and Justice
21. Five Jim Crow Schools and Five Cases
22. The Hearts and Minds of Black Children
23. "War Against the Constitution"
24. Earl Warren - Politician to Chief Justice
25. "We Beg Thy Blessings"
26. "You Have the Right to Remain Silent"
27. The Warren Court Reshapes the Constitution
28. Earl Warren Leaves, Warren Burger Arrives
29. "A Right to Privacy"
30. From Abortion to Watergate
31. The Court Faces Affirmative Action
32. Down from the Pedestal, Out of the Closet
33. Burning Flags and Burning Crosses
34. Prayer and Abortion Return to the Court
35. One Vote Decides Two Crucial Cases
36. Looking Back and Looking Ahead