Law

Basic Constitutional Rights (LAW 301)


Description
In this 11-part course you will get a comprehensive overview of some of the core rights guaranteed by the Constitution. The course will cover the Bill of Rights, including what led up to its making, the common law history behind it, and how it's been applied by the courts throughout the years. We will also cover portions of the Fourteenth Amendment. You will learn about substantive due process, free speech, public access to public property and government meetings, governmental establishment of religion, searches and seizures, double jeopardy, compulsory process, cross-examination, the right to keep and bear arms, and various other legal topics from a constitutional standpoint.

Note: The Constitution is designed to protect the innocent as well as the guilty. Consequently, this course may go over information pertaining to disturbing crimes, such as murder, rape, sodomy, child abuse, etc. It also uses some complex terminology. As such, parental consent and guidance is required for individuals under the age of 18.
Content
  • Syllabus
  • Pre-course survey (optional)
  • Un-Graded Practice Quiz (optional)
  • FEEL FREE TO USE CHATGPT!!! Just Be Smart & Watch this Video First... — 30 min.
  • Introduction: Finding Good Sources; Important Psychological Principles — 1 hr.
  • VIDEO MATERIAL: The Halo Effect — 3 min.
  • VIDEO MATERIAL: Confirmation Bias — 4 min.
  • VIDEO MATERIAL: Primary v. Secondary Sources — 3 min.
  • READING MATERIAL: Sources and Citations — 15 min.
  • Knowledge Check
  • Section 1: History, Birthright Citizenship — 1.5 hrs.
  • READING MATERIAL: A Brief History of the Bill of Rights — 25 min.
  • READING MATERIAL: The Fourteenth Amendment and Birthright Citizenship — 10 min.
  • Quiz 1
  • Section 2: The First Amendment — 3 hrs.
  • READING MATERIAL: Establishment of Religion — 15 min.
  • READING MATERIAL: Free Exercise Clause — 10 min.
  • READING MATERIAL: Free Speech, Access, Filming, Public Forums — 45 min.
  • Klein v. Oregon Bureau of Labor & Industries — 60 minutes
  • Garnier v. Ratcliff, No. 21-55118 (9th Cir. 2022) — 120 min.
  • Peck v. McCann, No. 21-1125 (10th Cir. 2022) — 90 min.
  • EXTRA CREDIT: Case Study
  • Quiz 2
  • Section 3: The Second Amendment — 1 hr.
  • READING MATERIAL: The Second Amendment — 10 min.
  • United States v. Rahimi (5th Circuit) — 30 min.
  • EXTRA CREDIT: Case Study
  • Quiz 3
  • Section 4: The Third Amendment — 1 hr.
  • READING MATERIAL: The Third Amendment — 1 min.
  • READING MATERIAL: The Third Amendment (Gordon Wood) — 5 min.
  • Quiz 4
  • Section 5: The Fourth Amendment — 2.5 hrs.
  • READING MATERIAL: The Fourth Amendment and the Home — 60 min.
  • READING MATERIAL: Citizen-police encounters — 30 min.
  • READING MATERIAL: The Exclusionary Rule — 7 min.
  • EXTRA CREDIT: Think like a Lawyer
  • Quiz 5
  • Section 6: The Fifth Amendment — 1.5 hrs.
  • READING MATERIAL: Grand Jury — 5 min.
  • READING MATERIAL: Double Jeopardy — 7 min.
  • "Double Jeopardy" (Today I Found Out) — 3 min.
  • READING MATERIAL: Self-Incrimination — 16 min.
  • The Annenberg Classroom (video) — 25 min.
  • Quiz 6
  • Section 7: The Sixth Amendment — 5 hrs.
  • READING MATERIAL: "Right to a Speedy Trial" (Marc Steinberg) — 30 min.
  • VIDEO MATERIAL: "Speedy Trial Rights" (Wake Forest Law) — 15 min.
  • READING MATERIAL: Public Trials (United States v. Allen, No. 21-10060) — 45 min.
  • READING MATERIAL: The Right to a Jury Trial — 20 min.
  • READING MATERIAL: The Right to Notice — 5 min.
  • READING MATERIAL: Confrontation (Justia Law) — 20 min.
  • AUDIO MATERIAL: Crawford v. Washington (opinion announcement) — 4 min.
  • Douglas v. Alabama, 380 U.S. 415 (1964) — 10 min.
  • State v. Rodney A. Smith, S.C. 99086 — 30 min.
  • VIDEO MATERIAL: Murder Conviction Overturned on Sixth Amendment Grounds — 9 min.
  • READING MATERIAL: Compulsory Process (Washington v. Texas) — 15 min.
  • AUDIO MATERIAL: Taylor v. Illinois (opinion announcement) — 1 min.
  • READING MATERIAL: The Right to Counsel — 10 min.
  • AUDIO MATERIAL: Rothgery v. Gillespie County (opinion announcement) — 3 min.
  • AUDIO MATERIAL: Alabama v. Shelton (opinion announcement) — 5 min.
  • EXTRA CREDIT READING: How Fear and COVID Mandates Have Damaged Jury Rights.
  • EXTRA CREDIT ASSIGNMENT: How Fear and COVID Mandates Have Damaged Jury Rights
  • Quiz 7, Part 1
  • Quiz 7, Part 2
  • Section 8: The Seventh Amendment — 1 hr.
  • READING MATERIAL: The Seventh Amendment — 3 min.
  • Quiz 8
  • Section 9: The Eighth Amendment — 1 Hr.
  • VIDEO MATERIAL: "When is Bail Considered Excessive?" (Law Shelf) — 11 min.
  • READING MATERIAL: Cruel & Unusual Punishments — 10 min.
  • READING MATERIAL: Oregon Narrows Use of the Death Penalty — 4 min.
  • AUDIO MATERIAL: Bucklew v. Precythe (opinion announcement) — 6 min.
  • "Is the Death Penalty Ever Moral?" (Dennis Prager) — 5 min.
  • "Death Penalty Ethics" (Kathryn Soltis) — 6 min.
  • EXTRA CREDIT ASSIGNMENT: The Death Penalty: Is it Ethical?
  • Quiz 9
  • Section 10: The Ninth and Tenth Amendments
  • READING MATERIAL: The Ninth Amendment
  • READING MATERIAL: The Tenth Amendment
  • READING MATERIAL: The Anti-Comandeering Doctrine
  • READING MATERIAL: Nullification, Secession, and Sovereign Citizenship
  • Quiz 10
  • FINALS
  • Final Exam
  • End of course survey
Completion rules
  • You must complete the units "READING MATERIAL: A Brief History of the Bill of Rights — 25 min., READING MATERIAL: The Second Amendment — 10 min., READING MATERIAL: The Third Amendment — 1 min., READING MATERIAL: The Third Amendment (Gordon Wood) — 5 min., READING MATERIAL: The Fourth Amendment and the Home — 60 min., READING MATERIAL: Citizen-police encounters — 30 min., READING MATERIAL: The Exclusionary Rule — 7 min., READING MATERIAL: Grand Jury — 5 min., READING MATERIAL: Double Jeopardy — 7 min., READING MATERIAL: Self-Incrimination — 16 min., VIDEO MATERIAL: "Speedy Trial Rights" (Wake Forest Law) — 15 min., READING MATERIAL: The Right to a Jury Trial — 20 min., READING MATERIAL: Confrontation (Justia Law) — 20 min., AUDIO MATERIAL: Crawford v. Washington (opinion announcement) — 4 min., READING MATERIAL: Compulsory Process (Washington v. Texas) — 15 min., AUDIO MATERIAL: Taylor v. Illinois (opinion announcement) — 1 min., READING MATERIAL: The Right to Counsel — 10 min., AUDIO MATERIAL: Rothgery v. Gillespie County (opinion announcement) — 3 min., AUDIO MATERIAL: Alabama v. Shelton (opinion announcement) — 5 min., READING MATERIAL: The Seventh Amendment — 3 min., VIDEO MATERIAL: "When is Bail Considered Excessive?" (Law Shelf) — 11 min., READING MATERIAL: Cruel & Unusual Punishments — 10 min., READING MATERIAL: Oregon Narrows Use of the Death Penalty — 4 min., AUDIO MATERIAL: Bucklew v. Precythe (opinion announcement) — 6 min., READING MATERIAL: The Anti-Comandeering Doctrine"
  • Leads to a certificate with a duration: 3 years