Live at the National Constitution Center

National Constitution Center
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Sep 8, 2020 • 41min

Plato, Aristotle, and the Founders

The National Constitution Center is hosting a series of online constitutional classes this fall for students and learners of all ages. Last Friday, Center President Jeffrey Rosen and Chief Learning Officer Kerry Sautner were joined by David Coleman, CEO of the College Board. They discussed the founders, their flaws, and whether they still matter today. They also dove into the ideas of classical philosophers like Aristotle and Plato—and how their ideas influence the continual pursuit of a more perfect union . Our schedule of constitutional classes for the 2020-2021 school year is available here: https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/online-civic-learning-opportunities. Check out all of our online educational resources: https://constitutioncenter.org/learn.Questions or comments about the podcast? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org.
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Aug 26, 2020 • 55min

Landmark Cases Lightning Round

In the spring, the National Constitution Center hosted a series of online constitutional classes where students, teachers, parents, and learners of all ages joined in constitutional discussions with scholars from the National Constitution Center and guest speakers. As we gear up for more classes starting on August 31st, we’re sharing one of our favorite lectures from spring 2020 on today’s episode. Center President Jeffrey Rosen reviews 15 of the most important Supreme Court cases in American history in this lecture, which was given with high school students taking AP Government in mind but is great for learners of all ages! Jeff was joined by the Center’s Chief Learning Officer Kerry Sautner and by Stefanie Sanford from the College Board. Here's the list of cases covered in this episode: McCulloch v. Maryland (1819) United States v. Lopez (1995) Engle v. Vitale (1962) Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972) Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District (1969) New York Times Co. v. Sullivan (1964) Schenk v. United States (1919) Gideon v. Wainwright (1963) Roe v. Wade (1973) McDonald v. Chicago (2010) Brown v. Board of Education (1954) Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010) Baker v. Carr (1962) Shaw v. Reno (1993) Marbury v. Madison (1803) Our schedule of constitutional classes for the 2020-2021 school year, which will begin on August 31, is now available online: https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/online-civic-learning-opportunities. Check out all of our online educational resources: https://constitutioncenter.org/learn. Questions or comments about the show? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org.
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Aug 19, 2020 • 1h 11min

2020 Supreme Court Term Review

Our annual Supreme Court term review, hosted in partnership with the Anti-Defamation League, recapped the landmark cases from this past term and previewed what’s to come next term. The panel featured Supreme Court experts Dahlia Lithwick, Erwin Chemerinsky, Paul Clement, and Frederick Lawrence. Karen Levit, National Civil Rights Counsel at ADL moderates, with opening remarks from National Constitution Center President Jeffrey Rosen.Questions or comments about the show? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org.
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Aug 11, 2020 • 28min

19th Amendment: Untold Stories

Last week, historians Martha Jones and Lisa Tetrault joined National Constitution Center President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen for a conversation exploring the history and legacy of the 19th Amendment. The discussion highlighted the untold stories of women from all backgrounds who fought for women's suffrage and equality for all. Martha Jones is author of the new book Vanguard: How Black Women Broke Barriers, Won the Vote, and Insisted on Equality for All. Lisa Tetrault is author of The Myth of Seneca Falls: Memory and the Women's Suffrage Movement, 1848-1898.This program was presented as part of the 19th Amendment: Past, Present, and Future symposium presented in partnership with All in Together, the George & Barbara Bush Foundation, the LBJ Presidential Library, the National Archives, The 19th, and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. It’s as part of the National Constitution Center's Women and the Constitution initiative – a yearlong celebration of the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment.Learn more about the National Constitution Center’s new exhibit The 19th Amendment: How Women Won the Vote here https://constitutioncenter.org/experience/exhibitions/upcoming-exhibitionsQuestions or comments about the show? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org.
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Aug 4, 2020 • 57min

Slavery in America From the Constitution to Reconstruction With Eric Foner

In the spring, the National Constitution Center hosted a series of online constitutional classes where students, teachers, and parents joined in constitutional discussions with scholars from the Center and guest speakers. As we gear up for more classes this coming school year, we’re sharing one of our favorite lectures from spring 2020 on today’s episode.   National Constitution Center President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen was joined by Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Eric Foner for a conversation about the Constitution and slavery in America, including the history and legacy of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments, ratified during Reconstruction.   Our schedule of constitutional classes for the 2020-2021 school year, which will begin on August 31, is now available online: https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/online-civic-learning-opportunities. Check out all of our online educational resources: https://constitutioncenter.org/learn.  Questions or comments about the show? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org.
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Jul 28, 2020 • 41min

Elections in America with Emily Bazelon

In the spring, the National Constitution Center hosted a series of online constitutional classes where students, teachers, and parents joined in constitutional discussions with scholars from the National Constitution Center and guest speakers. As we gear up for more classes this coming school year, we’re sharing one of our favorite lectures from the spring on today’s episode.  National Constitution Center President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen was joined by Emily Bazelon—a lawyer, law professor, journalist, and podcast host who is staff writer at The New York Times Magazine and the Truman Capote Fellow at Yale Law School. Emily and Jeff answered audience questions about coronavirus’ potential impacts on the upcoming election—including how it impacted primaries in places like Wisconsin and what challenges it might pose for the general election in November.  Our schedule of constitutional classes  for the 2020-2021 school year will be available soon at: https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/online-civic-learning-opportunities. In the meantime, check out all of our online educational resources at https://constitutioncenter.org/learn. Questions or comments about the show? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org.
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Jul 22, 2020 • 1h 13min

A Constitutional History of the Right to Vote

What did the original Constitution say about the right to vote? How has that changed over time, and why? In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment and the 150th anniversary of the 15th Amendment in 2020, the National Constitution Center hosted a program featuring a panel of voting and election law experts who addressed those questions and more. They also reflected on the memory of legendary voting and civil rights advocate Congressman John Lewis, the anniversaries of two landmark suffrage amendments, and other key laws and Supreme Court decisions that changed the scope of suffrage in America. National Constitution Center President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen was joined by Alexander Keyssar of the Harvard Kennedy School, Derek Muller of Iowa Law School, and Franita Tolson of the USC Gould School of Law.This program was part of the Center’s yearlong initiative, Women and the Constitution, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, and was made possible through the generous support of SteegeThomson Communications.Questions or comments about the show? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org.
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Jul 14, 2020 • 36min

The Battle for the Constitution Part Two: Coronavirus

Recently, the National Constitution Center hosted a symposium bringing together contributors from The Battle for the Constitution website—a joint project from the National Constitution Center and The Atlantic that features essays exploring current constitutional issues from all perspectives.Today we’re sharing the second panel of the symposium: a conversation on the key constitutional issues raised by the coronavirus crisis. Jeffrey Rosen was joined by scholars Deborah Pearlstein, Polly Price, and Adam White to discuss how coronavirus has impacted democracy and the forthcoming 2020 election, public health law, the functioning of government, and more.Read The Battle for the Constitution including essays by these panelists here https://www.theatlantic.com/projects/battle-constitution/Questions or comments about the show? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org.
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Jul 7, 2020 • 49min

The Battle for the Constitution Part One: Policing

Last week, the National Constitution Center hosted a symposium bringing together contributors from The Battle for the Constitution website—a joint project from the National Constitution Center and The Atlantic that features essays exploring current constitutional issues from all perspectives. Today we’re sharing the first panel of the symposium: a conversation on the constitutional dimensions of policing and protests. Jeffrey Rosen was joined by former Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey, as well as First Amendment expert and law professor John Inazu, and policing expert and law professor Tracey Meares.  This program is presented in partnership with The Atlantic and in conjunction with The Battle for the Constitution website linked here http://www.theatlantic.com/projects/battle-constitution/. It is also made possible through generous support from the John Templeton Foundation.Questions or comments about the show? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org.
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Jun 30, 2020 • 54min

Historians on George Washington

On June 19, 1775, The Continental Congress commissioned George Washington as Commander in Chief of the Continental Army. Shortly after he received his commission, Washington left for Massachusetts and assumed command of the Continental Army in Cambridge on July 3, 1775. In honor of that anniversary and of the Fourth of July holiday this weekend, we’re sharing a program on Washington from earlier this year. Acclaimed historians Lindsay Chervinsky and Edward Larson joined National Constitution Center President  and CEO Jeffrey Rosen to discuss Washington and his role in the Revolutionary War and the Founding. Chervinsky is the author of The Cabinet: George Washington and the Creation of an American Institution and Larson is author of Franklin & Washington: The Founding Partnership.  Questions or comments about the show? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org.

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