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Constitutional Law Research

Bibliographies

Databases (UB)

Internet Links: Constitutions and Constitutional History

Online U.S. Constitutions

U.S. Constitutional History

  • Anti-Federalist Papers

    Full-text collection of writings against constitutional ratification.

  • Federalist Papers

    Full-text collection of writings by Madison, Hamilton & Jay, in favor of ratification.

  • Federalist Papers (Avalon Project at Yale Law School)

    Federalist Papers No. 1-85 in full-text.

  • The Madison Debates (Avalon Project at Yale Law School)

    From The Debates in the Federal Convention of 1787, which framed the Constitution of the United States of America, reported by James Madison, a delegate from the state of Virginia.

  • Founders' Constitution

    Writings by a wide array of people engaged in the problem of making popular government safe, steady, and accountable. The documents range from the early seventeenth century to the 1830s, from the reflections of philosophers to popular pamphlets, from public debates in ratifying conventions to the private correspondence of the leading political actors of the day.

  • The Constitutional Convention

    This website provides a five-step guide to understanding the Convention. It includes the Convention as a four-act drama, both as an Overview version and a longer Detailed Version. Both are linked to Madison's Notes of the Debates. A Day by Day Summary focuses on the decisions made on the day. A biographical section on the Framers includes their ages, educational background, continental political experience and a sketch on their individual activity at the Convention. Two interactive reproductions ac t as points of destination and departure on the journey back to the Founding. A click on Howard Christy's famous painting of the signing of the Constitution provides access to biographical sketches. A clink on the map of Historical Philadelphia links the delegates with the actual locations where they resided, worked, walked and deliberated.

  • American Independence (Internet Modern History Sourcebook)

    A collection of public domain and copy-permitted historical texts including Establishment of the American State. (Scroll down.)

  • Continental Congress & the Constitutional Convention (American Memory Project, Library of Congress)

    Links to: Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789; Letters of Delegates to Congress, 1774-1789; Elliots' Debates, 1787-1788; and Farrand's Records, 1787.

  • Documents from the Continental Congress & the Constitutional Convention (American Memory Project, Library of Congress)

    Links to collections, bibliography, timeline, and special presentations (To Form a More Perfect Union: The Work of the Continental Congress; and the Constitutional Convention.)

  • Liberty Library of Constitutional Classics (Constitution Society)

    Contains an online library of constitutional classics, founding documents, and related material. Topics include: basic principles; founding documents; rights, powers and duties; unity and freedom; abuses and usurpations; constitutional defense; jurisdiction and due process; legal reform; selection & removal; political reform; citizen action; public education; organizations; publications; events; people; references;resources; and images. The Constitution Society is a private non-profit organization dedicated to research and public education ont he principles of a constitutional republican government.

  • The American Constitution: A Documentary Record (Avalon Project at Yale Law School)

    Many full-text documents are reproduced and organized under these headings: the Roots of the Constitution; Revolution and Independence; Credentials of the members of the Federal Convention; the Constitutional Convention; and Ratification and Formation of the Government.

U.S. Constitutional Analysis

Non-U.S. Constitutions

World Constitutional History

  • Constitutional History (Internet Modern History Sourcebook)

    A collection of public domain and copy-permitted historical texts on: Constitutional States; The English Revolution (Tudor Government; The Stuart Challenge; Civil War and Revolution; Radicals; Religious Groups (Puritans; Baptists;Quakers); The Restoration; The "Glorious Revolution"; English Culture in the 17th & 18th Centuries; The Netherlands; Philosophical Reflections on Constitutional Politics; and Internationalist Ideas

Internet Links: Articles, Books & Websites

Starting Points

Topical Compilations

  • American Library Association - Civil Liberties, Intellectual Freedom and Privacy

    Provides links to information regarding privacy-related legislation, the Patriot Act, and the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act. ALA has deep-tooted principles in support of intellectual freedom. As the digital information age has developed many issues have had to be addressed in this new environment.

  • Law About...Civil Rights (Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute)

    Includes an overview of civil rights law and links to primary sources including the U.S. Constitution, sections of the U.S. Code and the Code of Federal Regulations, pertinent decisions of the U.S. Supreme Court and U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit, and relevant state and international law sources.

  • Law About...Constitutional Law (Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute)

    Includes an overview of constitutional law and links to primary sources including the U.S. Constitution; federal and state court decisions; background sources (Articles of Confederation; the Federalist Papers; and letter of transmittal, Federal Constitution, Sept. 1787), and state and foreign constitutions. Also links to other relevant sites.

  • Law About...Equal Protection (Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute)

    Includes an overview of equal protection law and links to primary sources including the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution, and federal and state court decisions.

  • Law About...First Amendment (Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute)

    Includes an overview of the First Amendment and links to primary sources including the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution, and federal and state court decisions.

  • The Establishment "Claus": A Selective Guide to the Supreme Court's Christmas Cases (by Stephen Young)

    This guide outlines the origins of Christmas and the ways in which the Supreme Court has encountered the holiday. It also lists articles on Supreme Court and its interpretation of the Establishment Clause in the context of some of the Christmas cases.

  • Constitutional Law Links (Findlaw)

    Contains cases, an online library of briefs, articles, documents and books, and a web guide with links to government agencies, journals, newsletters and articles, laws and government documents, discussion groups, outlines, software, and web sites.

  • Constitutional Law Center: Hot Topics (Findlaw)

    The Hot Topics section features short commentaries by legal scholars: abortion; the Bill of Rights (first, fourth, fifth & eighth Amendments); civil rights; discrimination; criminal law/procedure; elections; federal agencies, federalism; immigration; supremacy clause; and Supreme Court.

  • First Amendment Online

    Maintained by the University of Minnesota School of Law, a website dedicated to publicly accessible information, ideas, and images concerning the First Amendment. Includes links to cases (pending, recent, notable, and classic); academic materials, news stories; primary sources; historical materials; public opinion; and other sites.

  • USA PATRIOT Act Page (Free Expression Network)

    Statements on the PATRIOT Act from organizations that are members of the Free Expression Network, including American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, American Civil Liberties Union, American Library Association, Association of American Publishers, Electronic Foundation, Electronic Privacy Information Center, Freedom Forum, National Coalition Against Censorship, and People for the American Way.

  • Human and Constitutional Rights

    Maintained by Columbia University School of Law, this site contains A Comparative Constitutional Rights Chart, Bill of Rights Comparative Law Materials, a list of Hot Topics, International links, Web resources, Country Reports and Documents, and National and Regional Links. It also includes a special exhibit, "WASN'T THAT A TIME: A Century of Repression" with statements and portraits excerpted from It Did Happen Here: Recollections of Political Repression in America, and from a companion volume in progress to be entitled, The Price of Dissent.

  • Index on Censorship

    Full text magazine featuring articles on freedom of expression. It was founded in 1972 by Stephen Spender with the goal to protect the basic human right of free expression. For the past 31 years, it has reported on censorship issues from all over the world and added to the debates on those issues. In addition to the analysis, reportage and interviews, each Index contains a country by country list of free speech violations.

  • Know Your Rights!

    A compilation of federal and state constitutional documents, including the U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence, and state constitutions. Also links to other sites.

  • Online Guide to Privacy Resources

    Contains descriptions of relevant organizations and contact information, printed publications, U.S. based web sites, international web sites, mailing lists and newsgroups and upcoming conferences and events.

  • Supreme Court Obscenity Decisions (Findlaw)

    Descriptions of and links to selected Supreme Court opinions.

  • Supreme Court Religion Decisions (Findlaw)

    Descriptions of and links to selected Supreme Court opinions.

  • USConstitution.net

    Contains full text of the U.S. and Vermont Constitutions, historical documents, a timeline, Constitutional Topics pages, and a news page of current decisions/events that is updated regularly.

  • University of Pittsburgh Jurist Site

    Links to news stories, hot topics, scholarship, opinion, blogs, and much more. JURIST is the Internet's legal education portal, the university-based academic gateway to authoritative legal instruction, information and scholarship online.

Advocacy Groups

  • American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)

    Defends the Bill of Rights in advocating issues such as capital punishment, disability rights, immigrant rights, religious liberty and racial equality. The ACLU works daily in court, legislatures and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the U.S.

  • American Constitution Society

    A national organization of law students, law professors, practicing lawyers and others, which aims to revitalize and transform the legal debate from law school classrooms to federal courtrooms. Documents, commentary and opinions (http://www.acslaw.org/Views.htm) from a wide variety of commentators are presented on many topics.

  • Ashbrook Center for Public Affairs

    An academic forum at Ashland University for the study, research and discussion of the principles and practices of American constitutional government and politics. Columnists include Robert Alt, Andrew E. Busch, John C. Eastman, Christopher Flannery, David Forte, Steven Hayward, Douglas Koopman, Terrence ). Moore, Lucas Morel, Mackubin T. Owens, Peter W. Schramm, and David Tucker.

  • Center for Constitutional Rights

    A non-profit legal and educational organization dedicated to protecting and advancing the rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Includes news, reports, publications, viewpoint and more.

  • Civil Rights.org

    A collaboration of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights and the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Education Fund; claims to be the site of record for relevant and up-to-the minute civil rights news and information.

  • Constitution Project

    The Constitution Project seeks consensus solutions to difficult legal and constitutional issues. It does this through constructive dialogue across ideological and partisan lines, and through scholarship, activism, and public education efforts.

  • Federal Society

    A group of conservative and libertarians which emphasizes individual liberty, traditional values, and the rule of law.

  • Institute for Democracy Studies

    IDS is a non-profit research and educational center devoted to the study of anti-democratic religious and political movements and organizations in the U.S. and the world. IDS has a unique and extensive archive of primary source material. The Institute currently maintains research programs in three areas: law, religion and reproductive rights.

  • Institute for Justice

    Libertarian public interest law firm, aiming to preserve freedom of opportunity and challenge government control over the lives of individuals. Areas of expertise are economic liberty, school choice, private property rights, and first amendment issues. Site includes publications, press releases and background on cases.

  • Human Rights First (formerly Lawyers Committee for Human Rights)

    Works in the U.S. and abroad to create a secure and humane world by advancing justice, human dignity and respect for the rule of law.

  • Liberty Point Institute

    In defense of religious liberty.

  • N.Y.S. Office of the Attorney General, Civil Rights Bureau

    The Bureau enforces law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, marital status or disability. Investigates and litigates complaints alleging a pattern and practice or policy of unlawful discrimination in employment, housing, credit, education and places of public accommodation.

  • Reclaim Democracy

    Dedicated to restoring democratic authority over corporations, reviving grassroots democracy, and revoking the power of money and corporations to control government and civic society.

  • Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression

    A site devoted solely to the defense of free expression in all its forms, including the arts.

  • U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division

    Enforces several federal civil rights statutes, such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Includes Division press releases, cases and briefs.

Contemporary Issues

U.S. Government Sites

News and Articles

Blogs

Qs & As On the Constitution

Last Modified: 3/24/2008 1:57:16 PM
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