Omar Bennett
The first constitution in the New World was the Fundamental Orders, adopted in Hartford, Connecticut, on 14 January 1639. It was the first written constitution in the world to declare that the foundation of authority is in the free consent of the people. The oldest written national constitution still in use is the Constitution of the United States of America, written in 1787.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Fundamental Orders |
| Date | 14 January 1639 |
| Location | Hartford, Connecticut |
| Written by | Roger Ludlow, a lawyer |
| Adopted by | Representatives of Wethersfield, Windsor, and Hartford |
| Declared | "The foundation of authority is in the free consent of the people" |
| Superseded by | The Charter of Connecticut, 1662 |
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What You'll Learn
The first colonial constitution
On 14 January 1639, the first constitution in the American colonies, the “Fundamental Orders”, was adopted in Hartford, Connecticut, by representatives of Wethersfield, Windsor, and Hartford. The Fundamental Orders were the first written constitution in the world to declare the modern idea that “the foundation of authority is in the free consent of the people”. The Fundamental Orders were written by Roger Ludlow, a lawyer, and presented a binding and compact frame of government that put the welfare of the community above that of individuals.
The Fundamental Orders were superseded by the Charter of Connecticut in 1662, although much of the original document was retained. The Fundamental Orders were written after representatives from the three major Puritan settlements in Connecticut met to set up a unified government for the new colony. During the 1630s, Puritans had flocked to the Connecticut valley from the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
The Fundamental Orders were the first written constitution in the world, but not the last. Poland adopted its first written constitution in the spring of 1791, followed by France later that year. The United States Constitution, the fundamental law of the U.S. federal system of government, is the oldest written national constitution still in use. It was written in 1787 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by 55 delegates to a Constitutional Convention.
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The Fundamental Orders
The first constitution in the New World was the 'Fundamental Orders', adopted in Hartford, Connecticut, on 14 January 1639. It was the first written constitution in the world to declare the modern idea that 'the foundation of authority is in the free consent of the people'.
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The oldest written national constitution
The first constitution in the American colonies was the "Fundamental Orders", adopted in Hartford, Connecticut, on 14 January 1639. It was the first written constitution in the world to declare the modern idea that "the foundation of authority is in the free consent of the people". Roger Ludlow, a lawyer, wrote much of the Fundamental Orders, which put the welfare of the community above that of individuals.
In 1662, the Charter of Connecticut superseded the Fundamental Orders. Poland adopted its first written constitution in 1791, followed by France later that year. The 19th century saw many changes of government marked by the adoption of written constitutions, some of which are still in existence. The European Revolutions of 1848 produced dozens of new constitutions, though few of them lasted.
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The first written constitution
The Fundamental Orders were written by Roger Ludlow, a lawyer, and presented a binding and compact frame of government that put the welfare of the community above that of individuals. The document was adopted by representatives of Wethersfield, Windsor, and Hartford. During the 1630s, English Puritans from Massachusetts had largely accomplished the European settlement of the region, flocking to the Connecticut valley from the Massachusetts Bay Colony. In 1638, representatives from the three major Puritan settlements in Connecticut met to set up a unified government for the new colony.
The oldest written national constitution still in use is the Constitution of the United States of America, written in 1787. The US Constitution defines the principal organs of government and their jurisdictions, as well as the basic rights of citizens.
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The US Constitution
The first written constitution in the world to declare the modern idea that "the foundation of authority is in the free consent of the people" was the Fundamental Orders.
Many 19th-century changes of government were marked by the adoption of written constitutions, some of which are still in existence. Poland and France both adopted their first written constitutions in 1791, and France went through four constitutions in that decade alone. The European Revolutions of 1848 produced dozens of new constitutions, though few of them lasted.
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Frequently asked questions
The first constitution in the American colonies was the "Fundamental Orders", adopted in Hartford, Connecticut, in 1639.
The oldest written national constitution still in use is the Constitution of the United States of America, written in 1787. However, the first written constitution in the world was the Fundamental Orders, which was the first to declare the modern idea that "the foundation of authority is in the free consent of the people".
Poland adopted the first written constitution in Europe in the spring of 1791, with France following later that year.
A constitution is the fundamental law of a country's federal system of government. It defines the principal organs of government and their jurisdictions, as well as the basic rights of citizens.
