Eleanor Finch
The Texas Constitution of 1876 is the sixth constitution by which Texas has been governed since it achieved independence from Mexico in 1836. It was framed by the Constitutional Convention of 1875 and came into effect on February 15, 1876, following a vote of 136,606 to 56,652. The constitution reflected the lack of faith in the government that the delegates had formed during the Reconstruction years. The Texas Constitution of 1876 remains in force and is considered the foundation of Texas government today. However, it has been amended hundreds of times, with 216 new sections added, 66 original sections removed, and 51 added sections removed.
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What You'll Learn
- The Texas Constitution of 1876 was voted in by a margin of 136,606 to 56,652
- It was the sixth constitution since Texas's independence from Mexico in 1836
- The 1875 convention that wrote the document was dominated by Democrats
- The constitution reflected public opinion in Texas at the time of drafting
- It has been amended hundreds of times since its adoption
The Texas Constitution of 1876 was voted in by a margin of 136,606 to 56,652
The Texas Constitution of 1876 was adopted by a vote of 136,606 to 56,652 on February 15, 1876. This was the sixth constitution by which Texas had been governed since it achieved independence from Mexico in 1836. The 1876 Constitution was drafted by the Constitutional Convention of 1875, which was dominated by Democrats—many of whom were former Confederates seeking to restore local control and reduce government spending. The document was submitted to the voters and ratified the following year.
The Texas Constitution of 1876 reflected the public opinion of the time. It provided for biennial sessions of the legislature, low salaries for public officials, precinct voting, the abolition of the road tax, and a return to the road-working system. It also included a homestead exemption clause, guarantees of a low tax rate, a less expensive court system, and a segregated school system, among other provisions.
The 1876 Constitution has been amended hundreds of times since its adoption and is one of the longest and most amended state constitutions in the US. It is considered to be one of the most disorganized and confusing state constitutions due to its tight restrictions, which have required numerous amendments. Despite this, Texans have continued to uphold the 1876 Constitution, and it remains the foundation of Texas government today.
The Texas Constitution is the foundational governing document of the state, second only to the US Constitution. It establishes the structure and function of the Texas government and enumerates the basic rights of its citizens. The constitution includes a bill of rights, which is considerably lengthier and more detailed than the federal Bill of Rights.
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It was the sixth constitution since Texas's independence from Mexico in 1836
The Texas Constitution of 1876 is the sixth constitution since Texas gained independence from Mexico in 1836. It was framed by the Constitutional Convention of 1875, which was dominated by Democrats, many of whom were former Confederates. The document was submitted to the voters and ratified on February 15, 1876, by a vote of 136,606 to 56,652. It remains the basic organic law of Texas, although it has been amended hundreds of times.
The 1876 Constitution complied with public opinion at the time. It provided for biennial sessions of the legislature, low salaries for public officials, precinct voting, abolition of the road tax, guarantees of a low tax rate, a less expensive court system, and popular election of officers. It also prohibited the registration of voters and grants of money to railroads. The document reflected the lack of faith in the government that the delegates had formed during the Reconstruction years.
The Constitution of 1876 contains some provisions that are uniquely Texan, many of which are products of the state's unusual history. Some may be traced to Spanish and Mexican influence, including sections dealing with land titles, land law, debtor relief, judicial procedures, marital relations, and water and mineral rights. Other atypical provisions can be attributed to the influences of Jacksonian agrarianism and frontier radicalism, which were prevalent when Texas first became a state.
The Constitution of 1876 has been amended over 500 times since its adoption and is one of the longest and most amended state constitutions in the US. Changes to the judiciary article have been particularly sweeping, with provisions relating to public education and the state's financial system also undergoing significant alterations. Texans have continued to hold on to the Constitution of 1876, despite its cumbersomeness and need for frequent amendment.
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The 1875 convention that wrote the document was dominated by Democrats
The Texas Constitution of 1876 is the sixth constitution by which Texas has been governed since it gained independence from Mexico in 1836. It was framed by the Constitutional Convention of 1875, which was dominated by Democrats. The convention was convened on September 6, 1875, and comprised seventy-five Democrats and fifteen Republicans. Many of the Democrats were former Confederates seeking to restore local control and reduce government spending.
The 1875 convention produced a new constitution to replace the unpopular Constitution of 1869. The 1869 constitution had expanded civil rights protections for formerly enslaved people and centralised power in the state government to enforce federal Reconstruction policies. However, by 1875, Reconstruction was coming to an end, and Democrats had regained power in Texas. The 1875 convention reflected the delegates' lack of faith in the government that had formed during the Reconstruction years.
The new constitution slashed the power, salaries, and terms of office of officials. It also provided for biennial sessions of the legislature, precinct voting, a homestead exemption clause, guarantees of a low tax rate, a less expensive court system, and the popular election of officers. It prohibited the registration of voters and grants of money or bonds to railroads. The document was ratified in 1876 and remains the foundation of Texas government today.
Since its adoption, the 1876 Constitution has been amended hundreds of times. It is considered one of the most disorganised and confusing state constitutions due to its tight restrictions and highly detailed nature. Despite this, Texans have resisted attempts to replace it, and it remains the basic organic law of Texas.
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The constitution reflected public opinion in Texas at the time of drafting
The Texas Constitution of 1876 is the sixth constitution by which Texas has been governed since it achieved independence from Mexico in 1836. It was framed by the Constitutional Convention of 1875, which was dominated by Democrats, many of whom were former Confederates. The document was submitted to the voters and ratified the following year as the Constitution of 1876.
The 1876 Constitution reflected public opinion in Texas at the time of drafting. The document was adequate for a rural people engaged principally in subsistence farming. It provided for biennial sessions of the legislature, low salaries for public officials, precinct voting, abolition of the road tax, and a return to the road-working system. It also provided for a homestead exemption clause, guarantees of a low tax rate, a less expensive court system, and a segregated school system. The Constitution of 1876 also prohibited the registration of voters and grants of money or bonds to railroads.
The 1876 Constitution also contained some provisions that were uniquely Texan, many of which were products of the state's unusual history. Some may be traced to Spanish and Mexican influence, including sections dealing with land titles and land law, debtor relief, judicial procedures, marital relations and adoption, and water and other mineral rights. Other atypical provisions may be attributed to the twin influences of Jacksonian agrarianism and frontier radicalism, both prevalent when Texas first became a state.
The Texas Constitution of 1876 has been amended over 500 times since its adoption and remains one of the longest and most amended state constitutions in the US. It is the second-longest state constitution in the United States, exceeded only by the Constitution of Alabama. Despite its length and need for frequent amendment, Texans have continued to hold on to the Constitution of 1876, with attempts to overhaul or replace it entirely unsuccessful.
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It has been amended hundreds of times since its adoption
The Texas Constitution of 1876 is the seventh constitution in Texas history. It was adopted on February 15, 1876, and remains the foundation of Texas government today.
The document was adequate for a rural people engaged principally in subsistence farming, but not for an urban-industrial-commercial society. Very few changes were made during the first half-century of the constitution's existence, but since then it has been amended at a steadily increasing rate. This is due to the document's highly restrictive nature. The constitution stipulates that the state of Texas has only those powers explicitly granted to it, and it imposes numerous limitations on state authority.
Since 1876, 216 new sections have been added to the constitution, while 66 of the original sections and 51 of the added sections have been removed. The Texas Constitution is the third-most amended state constitution in the US, after Alabama and California. From 1876 to 2024, the Texas Legislature proposed 714 constitutional amendments, of which 530 were approved by the electorate, 181 were defeated, and three never made it onto the ballot.
Some of the key amendments include:
- Sweeping changes to the article on the judiciary, which has been almost entirely rewritten.
- Alterations to provisions relating to public education, removing original limitations and allowing the expansion of the public school system.
- Changes to provisions relating to the state's financial system, permitting the adoption of new expenditure programs and the exploitation of new sources of revenue.
- Revamped basic suffrage requirements.
- Lengthened terms of office for many state and local officials.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the Texas Constitution of 1876 was voted on and adopted on February 15, 1876, by a vote of 136,606 to 56,652.
The vote was to decide on a new state constitution for Texas, which would replace the previous one from 1869. The 1876 Constitution was written by a Constitutional Convention dominated by Democrats, many of whom were former Confederates.
The 1876 Constitution slashed the power, salaries, and terms of officials. It also provided for biennial sessions of the legislature, low taxes, a less expensive court system, and the popular election of officers. It prohibited the registration of voters and grants of money or bonds to railroads.
There was widespread discontent with the centralised authority and policies of the Reconstruction-era government. The 1876 Constitution aimed to restore local control and reduce government spending.
Yes, the 1876 Constitution has been amended hundreds of times, with 216 new sections added and 117 sections removed. Amendments have been made to keep the constitution up to date and to comply with changing societal needs.
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