Eleanor Finch
The United States Constitution is a relatively modern document, but was it the first of its kind? America's first constitution, the Articles of Confederation, was drafted by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington. However, it was not the first written constitution in the world. The oldest surviving constitution is that of San Marino, which dates back to 1600. The first written constitution of an independent polity was the 1755 Corsican Constitution, drafted by Pasquale Paoli.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| First written constitution of an independent polity | 1755 Corsican Constitution |
| First written constitution of an independent polity adopted by representatives elected by the people | 1755 Corsican Constitution |
| First constitution of the United States | Articles of Confederation |
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What You'll Learn
- The Articles of Confederation was America's first constitution
- The 1755 Corsican Constitution was the first written constitution of an independent polity
- The Swedish Constitution of 1772 was adopted by the king
- The Constitution of San Marino of 1600 is the oldest surviving constitution in the world
- The UK, Canada, and New Zealand have constitutional provisions that are older than the US Constitution
The Articles of Confederation was America's first constitution
Alexander Hamilton helped convince Congress to organise a Grand Convention of state delegates to work on revising the Articles of Confederation. The Articles of Confederation was short-lived, and earlier written constitutions of independent states exist, but they were not adopted by bodies elected by the people. For example, the Swedish Constitution of 1772 was adopted by the king, and the Constitution of San Marino of 1600 is the oldest surviving constitution in the world.
Despite this, the Articles of Confederation were an important step in the development of America's constitutional tradition. They provided a framework for governance and helped to establish the principle of representative democracy. The Articles of Confederation also inspired other constitutional movements, such as the Hearts of Oak, originally named "The Corsicans", and the Sons of Liberty.
In conclusion, while the Articles of Confederation may not have been the first written constitution in the world, they were America's first constitution and played a crucial role in shaping the country's political and legal system.
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The 1755 Corsican Constitution was the first written constitution of an independent polity
The United States Constitution was not the first written constitution in the world. The 1755 Corsican Constitution was the first written constitution of an independent polity, drafted by Pasquale Paoli. It was written in Italian and included various Enlightenment principles, such as female suffrage. The Corsican Constitution was short-lived, as the Kingdom of France revoked it when the island was taken over in 1769.
The Corsican Constitution was an inspiration for many American patriots, including the Hearts of Oak, originally named 'The Corsicans', and the Sons of Liberty. America's first constitution, the Articles of Confederation, was drafted by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington. It gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it had no enforcement powers, couldn't regulate commerce, or print money. The disputes between the states over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the young country apart.
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The Swedish Constitution of 1772 was adopted by the king
America was not the first country to have a constitution. The first written constitution of an independent polity that was adopted by representatives elected by the people was the 1755 Corsican Constitution. However, there are earlier written constitutions of independent states that were not adopted by bodies elected by the people, such as the Swedish Constitution of 1772, which was adopted by the king.
The Swedish Constitution of 1772, also known as the 1772 Instrument of Government, was adopted by King Gustav III of Sweden on 19 August 1772. The king rallied the Stockholm garrison and arrested the Council of the Realm, along with several prominent members of the Cap party. Two days later, he convened a session of the Riksdag and compelled it to accept the new constitution, which he had drawn up. The new constitution was a curious mix of different influences, partly based on earlier Swedish political traditions, such as the reign of the revered King Gustav II Adolf. It revived the posts of Lord High Chancellor and Lord High Steward, which had once been among the Great Offices of the Realm but had fallen out of use in the previous century.
The Swedish Constitution of 1772 was introduced following the Revolution of 1772, also known as The Bloodless Revolution or the Coup of Gustav III. This revolution was a Swedish coup d'état performed by King Gustav III to introduce a division of power between the king and the Riksdag of the Estates. The new constitution strengthened the power of the monarch and started the absolutist period known as the Gustavian era.
The Swedish Constitution of 1772 replaced the 1720 Instrument of Government, which had governed Sweden as a constitutional monarchy during the Age of Liberty (1719-1772). Under the previous system, the king played a relatively minor role in the government, which was dominated by the Riksdag of the Estates. The Age of Liberty was characterised by factional struggles between the "Cap" and "Hat" parties in the Riksdag and by military humiliation in the Hats' War (1741-1743) and the Pomeranian War (1757-1762). By the early 1770s, the situation had deteriorated to the extent that Sweden was on the brink of anarchy.
America's first constitution, the Articles of Confederation, was adopted a few years after the Revolutionary War. However, it gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states, but it had no enforcement powers, couldn't regulate commerce, or print money. Disputes over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the young country apart.
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The Constitution of San Marino of 1600 is the oldest surviving constitution in the world
America was not the first country to have a constitution. The Constitution of the United States is the oldest written constitution of any independent state in the world, but there are older constitutional provisions in other countries, such as the UK, Canada and New Zealand. The first written constitution of an independent polity was the 1755 Corsican Constitution, and the Swedish Constitution of 1772 was adopted by the king.
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The UK, Canada, and New Zealand have constitutional provisions that are older than the US Constitution
The United States Constitution was not the first written constitution in the world. The UK, Canada, and New Zealand have constitutional provisions that are older than the US Constitution. The Bill of Rights 1689, for example, is still in force in these countries today.
The first written constitution of an independent polity was the 1755 Corsican Constitution, drafted by Pasquale Paoli. This constitution was short-lived, but it inspired many American patriots. Other earlier written constitutions of independent states include the Swedish Constitution of 1772, the Constitution of San Marino of 1600 (the oldest surviving constitution in the world), and the Constitution of Pylyp Orlyk, which first established the separation of powers.
America's first constitution was the Articles of Confederation, which gave the Confederation Congress the power to make rules and request funds from the states. However, it had no enforcement powers, couldn't regulate commerce, and couldn't print money. The disputes between the states over territory, war pensions, taxation, and trade threatened to tear the young country apart.
To address these issues, Alexander Hamilton helped convince Congress to organise a Grand Convention of state delegates to revise the Articles of Confederation. This led to the Constitutional Convention of 1787, which effectively ended the era of the Articles of Confederation.
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Frequently asked questions
No, the first written constitution of an independent polity was the 1755 Corsican Constitution.
The oldest surviving constitution in the world is the Constitution of San Marino, from 1600.
Yes, the US Constitution is older than the UK's Bill of Rights 1689.
