With its blend of accessible writing and actual excerpts from Court opinions, this book serves to explain the legal and cultural underpinnings of landmark U.S. Supreme Court decisions of the past 35 years--and to illuminate how these decisions have shaped the trajectory and character of modern American society. * Provides comprehensive, objective, and accessible coverage of major Supreme Court decisions since the early 1970s * Presents easy-to-understand breakdowns of competing perspectives on contemporary constitutional issues that illuminate divisions within the Court * Places modern case law into historical perspective for readers of all levels of expertise * Enables readers to appreciate that interpreting the U.S. Constitution is not simple, contrary to some political rhetoric regarding the document