This casebook emphasizes the text, structure, and history of the Constitution. It uses "great cases" for learning the major issues in constitutional law, and it gives less attention to small ripples of contemporary doctrine. It emphasizes the task of interpretation, including many examples of the interpretation of the Constitution by the political branches. And it includes features of our constitutional history that are neglected in many casebooks, such as slavery, the amendment process, and the early history of the freedom of speech. The third edition has many refinements. It also has more coverage of executive discretion, the taxing and spending powers, the Necessary and Proper Clause, incorporation, and the drafting of the Fourteenth Amendment. It is now suitable not only for a survey course, but also for a course focused on federalism, on the First Amendment, or on the Fourteenth Amendment.