New Rules for a New World, Part 1 | America's Written Constitution with Akhil Reed Amar

Article I is the first article, the longest article, and the one housed in the largest building in Washington. Akhil Reed Amar reads all three facts as deliberate. This lecture opens the course's treatment of Congress by comparing the new legislature with the one it replaced. Amar shows what carried over from the Articles of Confederation, including the name "Congress" and equal state representation in the Senate, and what changed: a genuine lawmaking power, implied as well as express powers, six-year Senate terms with no recall and no mandatory rotation, and a House elected directly by the people. He works through what bicameralism does and does not accomplish, arguing it produces fewer unconstitutional laws rather than simply fewer laws, then turns to the biggest Anti-Federalist objection of the ratification debate: a House of just 65 members, in a country whose state legislatures seated 1,500. The reply was a promise kept in the text's silence, that the House would grow with the first census. Chapters: 00:00 From the Preamble to Article I 02:45 Why "Congress," and what the word conceals 06:29 New powers, and a second chamber 09:32 What bicameralism actually accomplishes 13:38 Why the Capitol is so large 14:40 The Anti-Federalist objection: too small 18:13 Where the number 65 came from 19:47 The promise that the House would grow Learning objectives: After watching, you'll be able to: - Compare the Congress of the Articles of Confederation with the Congress of Article I - Explain why the Senate resembles the older body and how it differs - Assess the claim that bicameralism reduces unconstitutional rather than total legislation - Summarize the Anti-Federalist case that the House was too small to represent anyone - Interpret the Constitution as a deed as well as a text when the text falls silent 📺 Watch the full playlist on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCq6-l8oFuvk 🎓 Enroll on Coursera for assessments and a certificate: https://www.coursera.org/learn/written-constitution 🌐 Explore more learning opportunities on Yale Online: https://online.yale.edu/courses/americas-written-constitution