This concise, accessible text covers important trends and events in U.S. constitutional history, encompassing key Supreme Court and lower-court cases. The volume begins by discussing the English and colonial origins of American constitutionalism. Following an analysis of the American Revolution's meaning to constitutional history, the text traces the Constitution's evolution from the Early Republic to the present day. The Second Edition addresses the constitutional issues surrounding the impeachment of President Clinton, the 2000 presidential election, and the Patriot Act, among other recent events. New! Three new chapters, focusing on the Clinton Impeachment, the Rehnquist Court and the 2000 presidential election, and George W. Bush and constitutional conservatism, bring this book up to date. New! Increased attention is given to the history of Native American, African American, and women's rights.