
Mexican Constitution Day, or Día de la Constitución, is a public holiday that celebrates the anniversary of Mexico's current constitution, which was promulgated on 5 February 1917. The day is marked by large parades across Mexico, often featuring marching bands and colourful costumes. The constitution is significant as it put in place much of the framework that is still used today in the Mexican government, including substantial social reforms to labour laws and provisions for equality without discrimination.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | First Monday in February (always a public holiday) or 5 February |
| Type of celebration | Large parades with marching bands and colourful costumes |
| History | Celebrates the anniversary of Mexico's current constitution, which was promulgated on 5 February 1917 |
| Constitution | Drafted in Santiago de Querétaro, in central Mexico, following a revolution that started in 1910 |
| Approved by the Mexican constitutional congress on 5 February 1917 | |
| The document included significant social reforms to labor laws and provided for equality without discrimination, among other reforms | |
| The 1917 Constitution was the first in the world to include social rights |
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What You'll Learn
- The day is celebrated with parades, featuring marching bands and colourful costumes
- It is a public holiday, with schools, banks, businesses, and postal services closed
- The constitution was drafted in Santiago de Querétaro, in central Mexico
- The document was approved by the Mexican constitutional congress on 5 February 1917
- The constitution included significant social reforms, such as workers' rights and equality without discrimination

The day is celebrated with parades, featuring marching bands and colourful costumes
Constitution Day in Mexico is a time for celebration and commemoration. The day is a public holiday and is marked by parades, featuring marching bands and colourful costumes. These parades take place across Mexico and are a vibrant display of Mexican culture and heritage. The day is a celebration of the creation and ratification of the current Mexican constitution, which was approved by the Mexican constitutional congress on 5 February 1917. The document was first drafted in 1910, following a revolution that began that year. The revolution was a response to the rule of President Porfirio Diaz, who had allowed a widening of the class gap and failed to address the decline of the poor.
The constitution was finalised in Santiago de Querétaro, a small town in central Mexico. The document included significant social reforms, such as the eight-hour workday, minimum wage, hygienic working conditions, and the right to strike. It also provided for equality without discrimination and abolished antiquated labour laws. These reforms were particularly beneficial to the working class, who had previously faced many abuses and hardships from uncontrolled labour managers.
The day is an important one for Mexicans, as the constitution put in place much of the framework that is still used today in the Mexican government. The holiday is similar to Independence Day in the United States, with schools, banks, businesses, and postal services closing in observance. The parades are a key part of the celebrations, bringing people together to commemorate the country's history and the important document that continues to shape the nation.
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It is a public holiday, with schools, banks, businesses, and postal services closed
Constitution Day, or Día de la Constitución, is a public holiday in Mexico, celebrated on the first Monday of February. It commemorates the ratification of the Constitution of 1917, which was adopted after the Mexican Revolution. This day is an official government holiday, and most schools, banks, businesses, and postal services are closed.
The Mexican Constitution of 1917 was the first in the world to include social rights and spelled out the same basic rights as the US Constitution, such as freedom of speech, religion, and petition. It also went further, guaranteeing Mexicans the right to a good job, decent housing, and health protection and care. The document was drafted in Santiago de Querétaro, in central Mexico, and included significant social reforms to labour laws, providing for equality without discrimination.
The constitution was promulgated and approved by the Mexican constitutional congress on 5 February 1917, with Venustiano Carranza serving as the first president. The date of Constitution Day, therefore, varies each year, falling on the first Monday of February that follows 5 February, the anniversary of its ratification.
The day is marked by large parades across Mexico, often featuring marching bands and colourful costumes. The holiday is not dissimilar to Independence Day in the United States.
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The constitution was drafted in Santiago de Querétaro, in central Mexico
Mexico's Constitution Day, or Día de la Constitución, is a national holiday that commemorates the anniversary of the country's current constitution, which was promulgated on February 5, 1917. The constitution was drafted in Santiago de Querétaro, in the State of Querétaro, Mexico, during the Mexican Revolution. Santiago de Querétaro is located in central Mexico and was chosen as the site for drafting the constitution for several reasons.
First, Querétaro was a provincial capital that offered a quiet and peaceful environment for such an important meeting. The drafting of the constitution was a significant task undertaken by a constituent convention, and Querétaro provided the necessary atmosphere for deliberations and discussions. Secondly, Querétaro held symbolic significance as it was the location where Emperor Maximilian of Mexico was executed, marking the end of the Second French Intervention in 1867. This historical event added a layer of importance and meaning to the choice of Querétaro as the drafting site.
The constitution was drafted by a group of 220 delegates, predominantly middle-class professionals, including lawyers, teachers, engineers, doctors, journalists, and revolutionary generals. The congress was convened by Venustiano Carranza, who sought to revise the liberal constitution of 1857. However, the outcome was a sweeping new document that went beyond minor revisions. The delegates represented a range of political ideologies, with most of them being twentieth-century liberals, considered radicals in Mexico at the time.
The constitution included significant social reforms, such as labour laws and provisions for equality without discrimination. It also enshrined rights for workers, including an eight-hour workday, the right to strike, a day of rest per week, and proper compensation in cases of unjustified termination. The document was finalized and approved by the Constituent Congress on February 5, 1917, and it has served as the foundation for the Mexican government's framework, even to the present day.
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The document was approved by the Mexican constitutional congress on 5 February 1917
The Mexican Constitution of 1917, still in force today, was approved by the Mexican constitutional congress on 5 February 1917. The document was drafted in Santiago de Querétaro, in the State of Querétaro, Mexico, by a constituent convention during the Mexican Revolution. The constitution was the culmination of the revolution, promising the restoration of lands to native peoples, the separation of church and state, and dramatic economic and educational reforms. It was a progressive document, combining revolutionary demands for land reform with advanced social theory.
The constitution was drafted by Mexico's new political class, mostly middle-class reformers, who were young, ambitious, and relatively apolitical. The congress was convened by Venustiano Carranza, who had controlled every Mexican state except Chihuahua and Morelos by the end of 1916. He intended to revise the liberal constitution of 1857, but the process created a new, more sweeping document. The final draft was approved in a matter of months, between November 1916 and February 1917.
The 1917 Constitution has 137 articles that define citizenship, organise a government, mandate land reform, and enumerate basic human rights for all Mexicans. Some of the most important provisions are Articles 3, 27, and 123. Article 3 established the basis for free, mandatory, and secular education, prohibiting religious instruction in schools. Article 27 laid the foundation for land reform in Mexico, mandating that lands taken from the peasantry be returned, and that idle land be repurposed for the public good. It also forbade foreigners from owning land within 100km of a national border or 50km of the sea. Article 123 was designed to empower the labour sector, establishing an 8-hour workday, a 6-day workweek, a minimum wage, and equal pay for equal work. It gave labour the right to organise, bargain collectively, and strike.
The Mexican Constitution Day, known as Día de la Constitución, is an official government holiday that celebrates the creation of the current Mexican constitution, which was made official on 5 February 1917. The day is celebrated with fiestas and street fairs, especially in cities with strong Mexican heritage, such as Fort Worth, Texas.
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The constitution included significant social reforms, such as workers' rights and equality without discrimination
Constitution Day, or Día de la Constitución, is a Mexican holiday commemorating the country's current constitution, which was promulgated on 5 February 1917. The constitution was drafted in Santiago de Querétaro, central Mexico, following a revolution that began in 1910. The document included significant social reforms, such as workers' rights and equality without discrimination.
The Mexican Constitution of 1917 recognised the right to gender equality and required the Mexican state to take affirmative action to eliminate gender-based discrimination. It also abolished many antiquated labour laws and included provisions for an eight-hour workday, the right to strike, a day of rest per week, and proper compensation following unjustified termination. These labour laws were designed to protect workers from the abuses and hardships they had previously faced from uncontrolled labour managers.
The constitution also addressed land reform, prohibiting large rural estates and defining small agricultural and livestock properties. It further promoted equal opportunities for indigenous people, aiming to eliminate discriminatory practices and improve their quality of life. This included provisions for wealth redistribution and the establishment of institutions and policies to guarantee indigenous rights and the development of indigenous communities.
In terms of education, the constitution initially included socialist education, but this was formally removed in 1946, and secular education was reinstated. Anticlerical articles remained in the constitution until 1992, prohibiting worship outside of church buildings.
Constitution Day is an important holiday for Mexicans as it celebrates the framework that still guides the Mexican government today. The day is marked by celebrations in Mexico and among Mexican communities abroad, with fiestas, street fairs, and traditional Mexican food playing a central role.
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Frequently asked questions
Constitution Day (Día de la Constitución) is an official holiday that celebrates the anniversary of Mexico's current constitution, which was promulgated on February 5, 1917.
The Mexican Constitution of 1917 was the first in the world to include social rights and labor laws, guaranteeing Mexicans the right to an 8-hour workday, minimum wage, hygienic working conditions, and equality without discrimination.
Constitution Day is marked by large parades across Mexico, often featuring marching bands and colorful costumes. Schools, banks, businesses, and postal services are closed in observance of the holiday.
Other important Mexican holidays include Cinco de Mayo and Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead), which are also celebrated with fiestas and street fairs.
The Mexican Constitution of 1917 was drafted in Santiago de Querétaro, a small town in central Mexico, following the Mexican Revolution that began in 1910.
























