The Words We Live By Your Annotated Guide to the Constitution

by Monk, Linda R.

• ISBN13: 9780786886203
• ISBN10: 078688620X
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-02-18
• Publisher: Hachette Books

Summary

he United States Constitution is the basis for our most fundamental rights as Americans, and is a key element in nearly every major legal and political debate ever argued. But how many of us actually understand the language used by our Founding Fathers? Now Linda R. Monk, an award-winning author and journalist, takes us through the Constitution, line by line, to help us comprehend this amazing document. From the Preamble, which she analyzes with inspiration from Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Charlton Heston, and James Madison, to each and every amendment, Monk offers insight, legal expertise, surprising facts and trivia, opposing interpretations, and historical anecdotes to breathe life into this provocative and hallowed document.

Author Biography

Linda R. Monk received the American Bar Association's Silver Gavel Award twice -- for her book The Bill of Rights: A User's Guide, and for her work on the documentary Profiles of Freedom: A Living Bill of Rights. A graduate of Harvard Law School, she is a frequent contributor to newspapers nationwide

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	p. 8
The Constitution as Conversation	p. 9
The Constitution of the United States	p. 10
The Preamble: We the People	p. 11
The Legislative Branch	p. 18
The Executive Branch	p. 62
The Judicial Branch	p. 89
Full Faith and Credit	p. 104
Amendments	p. 112
The Supreme Law of the Land	p. 118
Ratification	p. 121
Amendments to the Constitution of the United States	p. 126
Freedom of Expression	p. 127
The Right to Bear Arms	p. 151
Quartering of Troops	p. 154
Unreasonable Searches and Seizures	p. 157
Due Process of Law	p. 164
The Right to a Fair Trial	p. 173
Trial by Jury in Civil Cases	p. 181
Cruel and Unusual Punishment	p. 184
Unenumerated Rights	p. 190
States' Rights	p. 194
Lawsuits Against States	p. 199
Choosing the Executive	p. 201
Abolishing Slavery	p. 205
Equal Protection of the Laws	p. 212
Suffrage for Black Men	p. 229
Income Taxes	p. 233
Direct Election of Senators	p. 234
Prohibition	p. 236
Women's Suffrage	p. 238
Lame Ducks	p. 242
Repealing Prohibition	p. 246
Presidential Term Limits	p. 249
Electoral Votes for the District of Columbia	p. 251
Banning the Poll Tax	p. 253
Presidential Succession and Disability	p. 255
Suffrage for Young People	p. 260
Limiting Congressional Pay Raises	p. 261
To Decide for Ourselves What Freedom Is	p. 263
Endnotes	p. 264
Selected Bibliography	p. 273
Index	p. 279
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