The legal system in America is the basis of freedom as we know it today. The system is based, ultimately, on the common law of England, but it has grown, developed, and changed over the years.American law has been a critical factor in American life since colonial times. It has played a role in shaping society, but society - the structure, culture, economy, and politics of the country - has decisively shaped the law. Through history, the legal system has been intimately involved with every major issue in American life: race relations, the economy, the family, crime, and issues of equality and justice. The true strength of the American legal system lies in its ability to adapt to new and difficult issues.
Lecture 1 Introduction to the American Legal System
Lecture 2 The Colonial Legal Experience
Lecture 3 Criminal Justice in the Colonial
Lecture 4 Revolution and the New Republic
Lecture 5 Law and Economic Development in the 19th Century
Lecture 6 Black and White: Slavery and Its Aftermath in the 19th Century
Lecture 7 The Other Americans: Natives and Immigrants
Lecture 8 Family Law
Lecture 9 Crime and Punishment in the 19th Century
Lecture 10 Conflict and Struggle: Labor and Social Legislation
Lecture 11 Crime and Punishment in the 20th Century
Lecture 12 The Rise of the Welfare-Regulatory State
Lecture 13 Race Relations, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties in the 20th Century
Lecture 14 Culture, Policy, and Law in the Late 20th Century