This course explores American law and political institutions in a historical context, instead of examining specific legal doctrines. Topics include, but are not limited to, the creation and state of our democracy, the role of race, gender, and ethnicity, the concepts of citizenship and equality. It examines a series of questions concerning the relationship between law and society and the importance of history in understanding modern social injustices. This course will explore the origins of social injustices in the founding documents of the American legal system. The course will review significant texts regarding the history of their drafting and how socioeconomic status, race, gender, and ethnicity played into the final results. Students will participate in individual presentations, group projects, and a community project where they will produce quick video blogs to help primary and secondary school children better understand the disparities existing in our founding documents. This course will improve the student's skills in analysis, evaluation, and ability to synthesize complex ideas.