Meets 2nd 8 weeks.	

The USA PATRIOT Act has been a continued source of controversy in
American politics since its passage in the wake of the terrorist
attacks of late 2001.  The main concern raised by opponents of the
act is its impact on civil liberties.  The Bill of Rights guarantees
us certain freedoms, and laws and legal precedents protect even
more, but the Patriot Act certainly has at least the potential to
impair these freedoms.

In this class, we will discuss the Patriot Act, examining what it
actually does and does not do, in light of the importance of civil
liberties in modern society.  Before analyzing this contemporary
issue, however, we will take a look at the importance of civil
liberties and of our protections from governmental interference.  We
will examine the concept of liberty and how it was understood during
the American founding.  We will look at the changing understanding
of civil liberties over time.  Finally, we will come back to the
present day, and evaluate the Patriot Act and its impact on civil
liberties.