Constitution Daily Blog
Economics
The cotton gin: A game-changing social and economic invention
On this day in 1793, young inventor Eli Whitney had his U.S. patent for the cotton gin approved, an invention that would…
Retired Associate Justice Sandra Day O’Connor passes away at 93
The Supreme Court announced this morning that retired Associate Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, who left the bench in 2006, has…
On this day, a historic Cabinet nomination
Robert C. Weaver had a strong public record as a Civil Rights leader and a government official, but there was still controversy…
Vice President Profile: Henry Wallace
As part of a continuing series this summer, Constitution Daily looks at Vice Presidential selections that had an impact on the…
William Jennings Bryan: A life in public
On July 26, 1925, about five days after the famous Scopes Monkey trial, the famed orator and political William Jennings Bryan died…
Supreme Court rules on political speech and the First Amendment
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court ruled in Heffernan v. City of Paterson, a case that began with the innocuous actions of a police…
When privacy and the press collide
Who gets to decide what is "newsworthy"? A high-profile dispute between Gawker and Hulk Hogan asks the question.
Hecklers and the First Amendment on the campaign trail
Free, robust, and intense political debate is a hallmark of any legitimate democratic system, but recent events on the 2016…
McCulloch v. Maryland: Expanding the power of Congress
On March 6, 1819, the Supreme Court ruled in McCulloch v. Maryland, holding that Congress has the power to establish a national…
Supreme Court to hear Fourth Amendment case in first day without Scalia
On Monday, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Utah v. Strieff, the first case involving the exclusionary rule to be…
