This course provides an introduction to U.S. constitutional law and theory. Through a close reading of the text of the Constitution as well as landmark Supreme Court decisions, it explores the origins and evolution of the constitutional system, with a particular focus on how constitutional doctrine both shapes and reflects the distribution of political and economic power in the United States. Topics include: the allocation and separation of responsibilities among the three branches of the federal government; federalism and constraints on state authority; and the constitutional bases of individual rights, with an emphasis on equal protection. The course aims to familiarize students with the legal and political antecedents of constitutional doctrine and to equip students to interpret and participate in today’s most important constitutional debates.