Books in Understanding the United States Constitution series

The gun rights issue has been among the most contentious debates since the founding of the United States. This instructive volume offers close but comprehensible readings of the Second Amendment set against the backdrop of fluctuating social and political contexts. Additionally, it documents the evolution of arguments for and against "the right to bear arms." Readers will understand why this provocative issue has continued to rage in the courts and among politicians through the years and may do so for years to come.

The U.S. Constitution gives Congress the powers to define who is a citizen and to regulate who can reside in the country. Congress's exercise of these powers throughout American history has been affected by the beliefs and attitudes as well as the politics and economics of the times. This book traces the evolution of immigration law from early America to today's post-9/11 era. Well-researched, balanced text shows legislation and court decisions at their best and worst, covering periods of exclusion and times of greater openness. Evocative photos and political cartoons illuminate the heated debates and human realities of earlier eras and today.

American courts have shaped, debated, honored, and protected our right to privacy for more than two hundred years. This compelling resource reviews the constitutional roots of the right to privacy, from the Fourth Amendment's protection against unreasonable searches to the Fourteenth Amendment's guarantee of personal liberty. The court cases presented show how privacy rights apply in nearly every area of our lives--at school, at work, in our homes, in our personal communications, in our doctor's offices, and in our relationships. They also demonstrate how privacy rights have evolved in a high-tech, complex world.

Part of The Constitution of the United States series, this title recounts the events that led up to the creation of the U.S. Constitution, with primary focus on the creation of the first ten amendments. Author Amy Graham explains how each amendment was chosen, the ratification process, important federal and state court cases that show the Bill of Rights at work, and the recent debate over these ten basic rights of United States citizens. Web links are also showcased throughout the text.