Constitutional Law

This course teaches students about the pivotal Supreme Court cases which have shaped American law. These cases cover a variety of topics including abortion, religious liberty, free speech, and judicial review. This course is NCAA-approved.

Overview

Course Description

Constitutional Law is adapted for high schoolers from a college-level course taught at Patrick Henry College. The course is organized around several the major issues of Constitutional Law, including disputes over the meaning of the Commerce Clause, the Establishment Clause, and substantive due process. Students study the origins of the Constitution, and tackle difficult questions about what the Founding Fathers really intended. They read excerpts from Supreme Court cases, and are challenged to understand the facts and reasoning behind each ruling. Students measure all ideas and concepts against a biblical worldview.

Prerequisites

Students should have good reading skills and a basic understanding of the American political system.

Students Will Learn

How to understand the history behind the Constitution
How to understand the United States’ founding documents
How to discuss issues related to the Constitution and court decisions regarding those concepts
How to write summaries of Supreme Court decisions
How to evaluate future judicial decisions based on Supreme Court precedent

Live Class Sections

Only open sections are posted below. Sign up for one of the available class sections. All sections cover the same material, so pick the time that best fits your schedule. Don't worry if none of the live times work for you! You can still register for a section and watch the recordings of the live classes at your convenience.

Constitutional Law is a semester-long course, only offered during the Spring term. Registration for the upcoming section is open until late December.

Spring 2027

Jan 11, 2027 - May 8, 2027

Available Seats

Section Teacher

Mon3:00 p.m. ET

5 seats open

Amber Gray

What to Expect Weekly

We estimate that the course workload will take 5-7 hours per week. During a typical week, students complete the following coursework:

90 minutes of live class instruction
2-4 chapters of reading
2-4 DVD episodes
Quiz
Weekly written case summaries

Throughout the semester, students complete a midterm and final exam.

Course Materials

Books & materials are finalized before registration opens. In rare situations, however, they may change due to external circumstances.

Constitutional Literacy with Michael Farris DVD Set (2011)

by Farris, Michael

ISBN: 978-1880665152

Buy Online

More Details

Description

Michael Farris’ DVD series and book provide an overview of Constitutional Law and our nation’s most important founding documents. Farris explains that, “If our government no longer faithfully adheres to the Constitution, ultimately the problem is that we are not doing our part as enlightened citizens; and when we find that the government’s current actions are out of step with the Constitution, it is our duty as citizens to act.” These materials explain the history of the Constitution and teach students how to analyze relevant Supreme Court cases related to major issues affecting our nation today.

While these are the only two resources you need for the online course, you may be interested in additional resources, such as study guides, which can be found in the HSLDA store.