Hoover InstitutionStanford University
Chapter One: Constitutional Law and Natural Rights

Published: September 10, 2020

An important topic in constitutional law is the distinction between government power and individual rights. Natural rights occupy an important place in American political thought, as reflected in the US Constitution. The Constitution’s framers focused on natural rights during the Constitutional Convention of 1787.

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Discussion Questions

  1. What do you think is the most important amendment in the Bill of Rights? Why?
  2. Do you think the Bill of Rights is still effective? Why or why not?

Additional Resources: 

  • Read “The Legal Origins of American Exceptionalism,” by Michael McConnell. Available here.
  • Listen as Michael McConnell discusses “The Legal Origins of American Exceptionalism,” available here.

Cast

Michael McConnell

Michael McConnell

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