The concept of academic freedom and tenure has been a point of discussion between university faculty and administration since these concepts were established by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) in their 1915 Declaration of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure. Within this dissertation the history of these two issues and how they became an integral part of higher education in the United States is examined. Finally, a detailed review of landmark state and federal court cases is included along with the impact these decisions have had on academic freedom and tenure. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]