Jonah Patel
Kansas has had one constitution since it became a state on January 29, 1861. Known as the Wyandotte Constitution, it was originally ratified in 1859 and has been amended 95 times since. There were four attempts to write and adopt a constitution for Kansas prior to its statehood, including the Lecompton Constitution, which would have made Kansas a slave state.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Constitutions written | 4 |
| Current Constitution | Wyandotte Constitution |
| Date of Adoption of Current Constitution | October 4, 1859 |
| Number of Amendments to Current Constitution | 95 |
| Date of Last Amendment | November 8, 2022 |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Kansas has had one constitution since statehood
The road to the adoption of the Wyandotte Constitution was not without its challenges. During the Kansas territorial period, there were four attempts to write and adopt a constitution that would allow Kansas to become a state. The first attempt was the Topeka Constitution, drafted in 1855, which prohibited slavery in the state and limited suffrage to white males and "every civilized male Indian who has adopted the habits of the white man." However, this constitution was not adopted.
The Lecompton Constitution, which would have made Kansas a slave state, was voted on and approved as the constitution of Kansas. However, after a rigorous national debate, it was overruled, and the people of Kansas voted again on the four constitutions. The Wyandotte Constitution, the most liberal of the four, was then approved in the referendum of October 4, 1859. It settled the terms of Kansas' admission to the United States, establishing it as a free state and rejecting slavery.
The Kansas Constitution has been amended numerous times since its adoption, including a universal suffrage amendment in 1912. It has a Preamble, a Bill of Rights, and 15 articles. The most recent amendment was approved by voters on November 8, 2022, making it the 95th amendment to the constitution. Despite various proposed changes, Kansas has successfully maintained its original constitution since becoming a state, with no need for a new constitutional convention.
Amendments: Are They Written on the Original US Constitution?
You may want to see also
The Wyandotte Constitution was approved in 1859
Kansas has had one constitution since statehood, which was approved in 1859 and is known as the Wyandotte Constitution. The Wyandotte Constitution was drafted between July 5, 1859, and July 29, 1859, at Lipman Meyer's Hall, just north of Kaw Point in the former community of Wyandotte, now part of Kansas City, Kansas. The convention was attended by 35 Republicans and 17 Democrats.
The Wyandotte Constitution was Kansas's fourth attempt at drafting a constitution. The three previous attempts were known as the Topeka Constitution, the Leavenworth Constitution, and the Lecompton Constitution. The Lecompton Constitution was voted to be the constitution of Kansas and would have made Kansas a slave state. However, after a rigorous national debate, it was overruled, and the people of Kansas voted again on the four constitutions.
The Wyandotte Constitution was approved by a vote of 10,421 to 5,530 on October 4, 1859. It was sent to Washington, D.C., for approval by Congress and the president. The bill for Kansas's admission was introduced on February 12, 1860, and passed by the House of Representatives on April 1860. However, the bill faced resistance from Southern congressmen and was not approved until after the election of Abraham Lincoln and the secession of several Southern states. On January 29, 1861, Kansas was admitted to the Union as the 34th state under the Wyandotte Constitution.
The Wyandotte Constitution addressed several controversial issues, including slavery, state boundaries, homestead exemption, and women's rights. It explicitly prohibited slavery, granted a homestead exemption to protect settlers from bankruptcy, and offered limited suffrage to women, including property rights and the right to vote in school board elections. The constitution also reduced the size of the state, fixing the western border at the 25th meridian of longitude west from Washington.
Japan's Constitution: A Written, Formal, and Powerful Document
You may want to see also
The Lecompton Constitution would have made Kansas a slave state
Kansas has had one constitution since statehood, which was adopted by voters on October 4, 1859, and is known as the "Wyandotte Constitution". However, before the Wyandotte Constitution was adopted, three other constitutions were proposed: the Topeka Constitution, the Lecompton Constitution, and the Leavenworth Constitution.
The Lecompton Constitution, drafted in 1857, was the second of the four proposed state constitutions of Kansas. It was drafted in the city of Lecompton, Kansas, and was strongly pro-slavery. The Lecompton Constitution was written by pro-slavery advocates and included provisions to protect slavery in the state. It also excluded free people of colour from its bill of rights. The constitution contained clauses protecting the right to slave "property" and prevented the legislature from emancipating enslaved people without their enslavers' consent and full compensation. It also prohibited free blacks from entering the state.
The Lecompton Constitution was approved by a rigged election in December 1857, but it was overwhelmingly defeated in a second vote in January 1858 by a majority of voters in the Kansas Territory. The Lecompton Constitution was rejected again in August 1858. Despite this clear majority opposing the constitution, President James Buchanan demanded that Congress approve it and admit Kansas as a slave state. However, Congress balked, and Kansas was eventually admitted to the Union as a free state in 1861.
The Evolution of Nigeria's Constitution: A Written History
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The Topeka Constitution prohibited slavery
Kansas has had one constitution since statehood, which was adopted by voters on October 4, 1859. This is known as the "Wyandotte Constitution". However, before the Wyandotte Constitution, there were several attempts to establish a constitution in Kansas.
One such attempt was the Topeka Constitution, drafted by Free-Staters at a convention in Topeka, Kansas, from October 23 to November 11, 1855. This constitution prohibited slavery in Kansas, marking a significant step in the state's history and its stance against slavery. The Topeka Constitution was created by Free-Soil settlers who wanted to manifest their democratic ideals of popular sovereignty and bring their struggle against pro-slavery forces in the Kansas Territory to a national audience.
The Topeka Constitution was a direct response to the existing pro-slavery government in Kansas at the time. The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 had allowed settlers in these territories to decide on the slavery question within their borders without congressional intervention. As a result, there was a power struggle between pro-slavery and anti-slavery elements, with the former succeeding in establishing a pro-slavery legislature in Kansas.
The Free-State convention, led by Jim Lane, drafted a constitution that not only prohibited slavery but also granted citizens the rights to "life, liberty, and property, and the free pursuit of happiness." However, the Topeka Constitution also included an exclusion clause that banned free blacks from entering Kansas Territory. This clause was approved by Kansas voters but lacked support at the federal level, demonstrating the complex and often contradictory nature of the period's politics.
While the Topeka Constitution ultimately failed to achieve federal recognition, it played a crucial role in bringing the issue of slavery in Kansas to national attention. The violence that erupted between pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers, known as "Bleeding Kansas," highlighted the deep divisions within the state and the nation. The struggle over the Topeka Constitution and its prohibition of slavery was a significant chapter in the lead-up to the Civil War, as Kansas's admission as a free state in 1861 shifted the balance of power in the Senate.
A Written Constitution: Necessary or Not?
You may want to see also
Kansas' current constitution has been amended 95 times
Kansas has had one constitution since it became a state on January 29, 1861. Known as the "Wyandotte Constitution", it was adopted by voters on October 4, 1859, and has been amended 95 times since. The most recent amendment was approved by voters on November 8, 2022.
The Wyandotte Constitution was approved by a vote of 10,421 to 5,530. It was originally drafted in reaction to the Lecompton Constitution, which would have made Kansas a slave state. The Lecompton Constitution was voted for in a climate of intimidation and open violence and was subsequently overruled. The Wyandotte Constitution, on the other hand, established that Kansas would be a free state and rejected slavery. It also affirmed separate property rights for married women and their right to participate in school elections. However, it did not grant universal suffrage for women, blacks, or Indians.
The Wyandotte Constitution is the first and current constitution of Kansas, and it includes a Preamble, a Bill of Rights, and 15 articles. It can only be amended via a legislatively referred constitutional amendment or by a constitutional convention. A state constitution outlines a state's framework for governance, detailing the powers, structure, and limitations of the state government, as well as individual and civil rights, and other matters.
The 15 articles of the Kansas Constitution cover a range of topics, including the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government, elections, suffrage, education, public institutions and welfare, the militia, county and township organization, apportionment of the legislature, finance and taxation, corporations, banks, and miscellaneous provisions.
Iran's Constitution: A Written or Unwritten Law?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Four.
The Lecompton Constitution, the Topeka Constitution, and two versions of the Wyandotte Constitution.
The Lecompton Constitution was written in 1857.
The Lecompton Constitution was a pro-slavery document that would have made Kansas a slave state.
The Wyandotte Constitution, which was approved in 1859, is the current constitution of Kansas.
