Author Topic: State Constitutions!  (Read 1695 times)

MicroBalrog

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State Constitutions!
« on: May 21, 2008, 12:26:14 AM »
Questions to all of you legal types/history types on the forum:

Where do I find copies of the constitutions of the original 13 states? To clarify, I do no seek the texts in their current form, post-200 years of amendments, but rather, the form they had during the Revolutionary era and immediately after, when the U.S. Constitution was being framed.
Destroy The Enemy in Hand-to-Hand Combat.

"...tradition and custom becomes intertwined and are a strong coercion which directs the society upon fixed lines, and strangles liberty. " ~ William Graham Sumner

Ex-MA Hole

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Re: State Constitutions!
« Reply #1 on: May 21, 2008, 03:01:49 AM »
One day at a time.

MicroBalrog

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Re: State Constitutions!
« Reply #2 on: May 21, 2008, 04:29:39 AM »
I want to write on my assignment that most state constitutions already had bills of rights before the Federal one was adopted, but it is something that I do not want to write before I am sure.
Destroy The Enemy in Hand-to-Hand Combat.

"...tradition and custom becomes intertwined and are a strong coercion which directs the society upon fixed lines, and strangles liberty. " ~ William Graham Sumner

Firethorn

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Re: State Constitutions!
« Reply #3 on: May 21, 2008, 07:01:29 AM »
I want to write on my assignment that most state constitutions already had bills of rights before the Federal one was adopted, but it is something that I do not want to write before I am sure.

They may of had statements of rights, or limitations on government powers similar to same, but most won't have a 'bill' of rights.  The US constitution bill of rights is effectively amendment 1 to the constitution.

GigaBuist

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Re: State Constitutions!
« Reply #4 on: May 21, 2008, 07:52:45 AM »
The US constitution bill of rights is effectively amendment 1 to the constitution.

Uhh... that's 1-10.

MicroBalrog

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Re: State Constitutions!
« Reply #5 on: May 21, 2008, 08:05:09 AM »
I want to write on my assignment that most state constitutions already had bills of rights before the Federal one was adopted, but it is something that I do not want to write before I am sure.

They may of had statements of rights, or limitations on government powers similar to same, but most won't have a 'bill' of rights.  The US constitution bill of rights is effectively amendment 1 to the constitution.

Technically 1-12, two of which never were ratified.

I know that the key inspiring document was the Virginia Declaration of Rights, which George Mason wrote.
Destroy The Enemy in Hand-to-Hand Combat.

"...tradition and custom becomes intertwined and are a strong coercion which directs the society upon fixed lines, and strangles liberty. " ~ William Graham Sumner

Firethorn

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Re: State Constitutions!
« Reply #6 on: May 21, 2008, 05:12:43 PM »
The US constitution bill of rights is effectively amendment 1 to the constitution.

Uhh... that's 1-10.

True.  Wink

But they were all done at once, so they were 'first'.

Hawkmoon

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Re: State Constitutions!
« Reply #7 on: May 21, 2008, 07:50:38 PM »
I know that the key inspiring document was the Virginia Declaration of Rights, which George Mason wrote.
Interesting. When I was a young lad, it was taught in 7th (or 8th) grade Social Studies that the U.S. Constitution was modeled on a document called The Fundamental Orders of Connecticut.

Of course, I went to junior high in Connecticut. I'm sure our state department of education preferred the version favoring us and wasn't about to 'fess up to a Virginia connection.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamental_Orders_of_Connecticut

http://www.constitution.org/bcp/fo_1639.htm
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