Constitution USA with Peter Sagal
Documentary

Constitution USA with Peter Sagal

CONSTITUTION USA, From New York to San Francisco, from Missoula, Montana to Tyler, Texas, Host Peter Sagal visits people across America introducing viewers to some of today’s major constitutional debates : free speech in the digital age, same-sex marriage, voting rights, separation of church and state, presidential power in the post-9/11 world, to name just a few, and the fascinating stories of the people they affect every day. And for each contemporary story, Sagal dives into the history behind it and talks to prominent legal scholars, historians and public figures, finding out what the Constitution says, the dramatic historical events and crises that defined the Constitution, and why all this matters.

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Created By

Peter Sagal

Status

Ended

Original Name

Constitution USA with Peter Sagal

First Air Date

May 7, 2013

Last Air Date

May 28, 2013

Seasons

1

Episodes

4

Language

English

Production Companies

Networks

PBS

S01E04

Built To Last?

In this last episode, Peter travels to Iceland where a few years after the country’s economic collapse, leaders decided to create a new constitution, turning to the U.S. Constitution for inspiration. This prompts Peter to consider why our own founding document has been able to last for more than 225 years. He looks at the systems that have kept the Constitution healthy--amendments, judicial interpretation, checks and balances —and also at the political forces that threaten to undermine the framers’ vision: excessive partisanship leading to gridlock, money in politics, and gerrymandering.

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