This innovative casebook offers a distinctive approach to constitutional law by tracing the interpretive evolution of each clause in the original Constitution and the Reconstruction Amendments. Rather than presenting doctrine as static or self-evident, it situates constitutional interpretation within its historical, political, and ideological contexts—making it an ideal resource for students encountering both constitutional law and U.S. history for the first time.

Assuming no prior background in American history, the author provides accessible and insightful commentary that frames each judicial and nonjudicial interpretation against the backdrop of the political conflicts, social movements, and competing ideologies that shaped it. Through this lens, the Constitution emerges not as a document with fixed answers, but as a contested text whose meaning has been forged through centuries of debate over fundamental values.

Each case excerpt is supported by carefully crafted notes and questions designed to:

• Clarify historical and legal references,

• Draw students into critical engagement with the opinions,

• Encourage reflection on the broader implications of the decisions,

• Foster discussion about whether and how these interpretations align with principles of justice, equality, and democratic governance.

Throughout the book, readers are invited to grapple with the idea that the Constitution often fails to provide definitive answers to the most pressing legal questions. Instead, interpreters—both inside and outside the judiciary—must resolve these questions by appealing to broader normative commitments, including theories of distributive justice, individual liberty, and systems of racial and social hierarchy.

By weaving together historical analysis, doctrinal exposition, and normative critique, the casebook equips students with:

• A sophisticated understanding of contemporary constitutional doctrine,

• An appreciation of the historical forces that shaped that doctrine,

• A critical vocabulary to analyze, apply, or challenge constitutional interpretations,

• And the tools to engage with constitutional law in a way that aspires to fulfill the Preamble’s call to “establish Justice.”

This pedagogical approach encourages students to become not only skilled legal thinkers but also informed and principled constitutional advocate.