The Law of the Land, Part 2 | America's Written Constitution with Akhil Reed Amar

This lecture is a masterful exposition of constitutional law, delivered by one of the foremost scholars in the field. Akhil Reed Amar’s argument for constitutional supremacy is both rigorous and accessible, grounding legal doctrine in democratic theory. He effectively contrasts the Constitution with the Articles of Confederation, highlighting the latter’s weakness as a mere treaty that could be overridden by state statutes. The hierarchy he constructs—Constitution, statutes, treaties, state law—is logically derived from the text and democratic principles, though he acknowledges that courts have often treated treaties and statutes as equal, a point of contention he addresses with structural arguments. The lecture is well-organized, with clear transitions between topics, and Amar’s use of historical examples, such as the Louisiana Purchase and the Civil War, enriches the analysis. The sources cited are primarily the Constitution itself and the course materials, which are appropriate for a lecture of this nature. The title accurately reflects the content, and the lecture meets its stated learning objectives. The only minor weakness is that Amar’s interpretation of treaty subordination is not universally accepted, but he presents it as a reasoned alternative rather than settled law. Overall, this is an excellent educational resource that provides deep insight into the foundational principles of American constitutionalism.

The title accurately reflects the content, which focuses on the Supremacy Clause and the ratification process as part of the written Constitution.

9/10

The lecture is delivered by a renowned constitutional law scholar, Akhil Reed Amar, and is part of an official Yale University course. The content is well-structured, historically grounded, and presents a coherent argument for constitutional supremacy based on democratic principles. The speaker demonstrates deep expertise and provides nuanced analysis of the Supremacy Clause and Article VII.

• 00:00What remains: Articles VI and VII
• 02:16What the Articles of Confederation never claimed
• 04:47Why the Constitution is the supreme law
• 06:52The hierarchy: Constitution, statutes, treaties
• 10:59What a treaty cannot do on its own
• 13:34The Supremacy Clause and secession
• 15:09Article VII and the ratifying conventions
• 19:47Why nine states, and not thirteen
• 22:18From rear portico to passageway

• America's Written Constitution - Yale Online — Course page for the lecture series
• America's Written Constitution - Coursera — Online course version of the lecture
• America's Written Constitution - YouTube Playlist — Playlist containing all lectures in the series

• The Federalist Papers — Support the democratic foundation of the Constitution

• Treaty Power and the Constitution