How did the Supreme Court handle Indian rights in the early 19th century? What factors influenced the Court's decision in Roe
v. Wade?
This timely survey looks at the intellectual, social, cultural, economic and political events that have influenced the legal history of the Court. The authors (two professors of history and one professor of law) consider whether the court is a political institution and whether in the course of two centuries “the justices have... remade the Constitution.†The 15 concise chapters, each devoted to one chief justice's tenure, look at major cases and offer thumbnail sketches of each justice as individuals with unique personalities, special interests and independent judicial perspectives who “never backed away†from their role “as final arbiters of the meaning of the Constitution.†The authors make evident the framers' original intent to create a Constitution founded on immutable ideals yet responsive to evolving standards through the amendment process. This illuminating re-examination is essential for those who want a historical context for current debates about America's politics and fundamental principles. 25 photos. (Sept.)
