History of the Common Law

History of the Common Law in England and America (2-3 credit hours) This course examines the origins, development and characteristics of core Anglo-American legal concepts and institutions. Using primary source materials (cases, statutes, codes, ordinances) and occasional narrative overviews for context, the course explores how and why fundamental Anglo-American legal concepts (e.g., trespass) and legal institutions (e.g., jury) have changed over time due to complex social, economic, and religious factors. The course will help students situate Anglo-American legal doctrines and institutions within their historical context and illuminate how modern American legal practice and jurisprudence has been shaped by the past. The course is interdisciplinary and highly participatory, and will expose students to the realities of internal and external legal change.