Today we launch our new series on the U.S. Constitution. Join us over the coming year to learn more about the American system of government and the history behind our country's cherished principles.

Today we discuss one of the most important sources of information about the Constitution: A series of essays known as The Federalist.

Today we learn about some important constitutional amendments that go to the core of our constitutional system.

James Madison responds to the criticism that the Constitution was too complicated to be effective.

In order to ratify the Constitution for New York and Virginia, Federalists and Anti-Federalists had to agree to compromise.

Virginia accepts the the proposed Constitution and George Mason returns to Gunston Hall to spend his final days. [1:20]

Ambition must be made to counteract ambition, wrote James Madison. The Constitution provides the checks and balances to accomplish this. [56 secs.]

How did Article III of the Constitution and Congress establish our judicial branch? Find out in this episode. [56 secs.]

Roger Sherman had a successful career by any standard. He served in the House and Senate and helped draft the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation, and Constitution. [1 min. 15 secs.]

What are the fundamental responsibilities of citizens? Find out on today's episode.

On today's podcast, we examine the ideas that inspired the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights.

How does constitutionalism work? We'll find out on today's podcast.

How are your rights protected? The Constitution and Bill of Rights are just the start.

The Constitution did not originally contain a bill of rights. Find out why on today's episode.

The Constitution itself contains protections of rights that can be organized into three categories. Learn what they are on today's episode.

It's important that elected representatives have rights, too. Otherwise, they wouldn't be able to do their jobs.

How does the Constitution protect you from the federal government? Learn all about it on today's episode.

It wasn't easy convincing the states to ratify the Constitution. First, proponents of the new Constitution would have to overcome some serious objections.

James Madison's plan for ratification of the Constitution would not give Anti-Federalists much time to organize their opposition. The Federalists wanted to stack the odds in their favor.

The lack of a bill of rights was the most powerful weapon in the Anti-Federalist arsenal.

New Hampshire was the ninth state to ratify the Constitution. The Federalists had to concede one point, however: to add a bill of rights.

On today's podcast we learn about the American Founders and the Framers of the Constitution.

The words "slave" and "slavery" never appeared in the Constitution, perhaps because the Framers were ashamed of it.

George Washington wrote that Anti-Federalist opposition to the Constitution might not ultimately be such a bad thing for the country.