HIS 268 will survey the history of the American Constitution from the origins of the Constitution through the 1990’s.  By the end of the course you should be able to grasp  a basic historical understanding of the development and application of the American Constitution over the last two centuries. This course is not intended as a substitute for United States history. Further, and most importantly, it is neither a “Constitutional Law Course” nor its equivalent

• The origins and development of the American Constitution.
• The relationship between the Constitution’s philosophical principles and the specific form of government provided by the Constitution;
•  How specific constitutional views have affected crucial events in American history;
• The major periods of constitutional stability and the movements for constitutional change; and,
• How the seminal Supreme Court decisions have shaped the interpretation of constitutional principles in such areas as judicial review, federalism, civil rights, equal rights, privacy, national security, and foreign affairs.

The required textbooks for this course are

• Kermit L. Hall, The Magic Mirror, Law in American History (New York: Oxford University Press, 1989)
• Robert G. McCloskey, The American Supreme Court 4^th Ed. (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 2005).

Your course grade will be determined according to the following points:

There are 2 exams in this course. You are expected to take your examinations at one of the NVCC campus Testing Centers (Note: ELI exams are not given at the Medical Education Campus.) Be sure to allow enough time to complete your exam before the Testing Center closes; Testing Centers have specific policies relating to the administration of ELI exams. You will need to take a photo ID, your NovaConnect Empl ID number, and the appropriate Exam Pass when you go to the Testing Center.  

For Testing Center locations, hours of operation and policies, click here.

For information on taking exams outside of the metropolitan area, click here.

I am here to help you succeed in this course. Occasionally questions or problems may arise. Here is how to contact me when they do:

E-mail: hsage@nvcc.edu

Please email me to schedule a meeting if you need additional assistance.

1. Use your web browser to connect to http://www.nvcc.edu/bbstart. Follow the directions to determine your email, Blackboard and VIVA account user names and passwords.
2. Access your email account and make sure you know how to use it; you will be required to use this account for all course-related email.
3. Log on to Blackboard at http://learn.vccs.edu.
4. Click on this course under "My Courses." Review the entire course to make sure you understand what will be required of you. Then start completing the assignments.

Please note that account generation takes approximately one week from the time of your paid registration. If you cannot log on after one week, contact the IT Help Desk. If you can log on to Blackboard, but your course isn't listed, please contact ELI or your instructor.