Omar Bennett
Georgia has had ten constitutions, the first of which was written in 1777. This inaugural constitution was produced by a convention of delegates, a method of constitution-writing that is distinctively American. The 1777 constitution was completed in February and was executed without being submitted to voters for ratification. It remained in effect for twelve years.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of the first constitution | 1777 |
| Date of the first constitution | February 5, 1777 |
| Location of the first convention | Savannah |
| Date of the first convention | October 1, 1776 |
| Date of the second convention | December 1788 |
| Date of the third convention | May 6, 1789 |
| Date of ratification of the U.S. Constitution | January 2, 1788 |
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What You'll Learn
Georgia's first constitution was written in 1777
The 1777 constitution was framed by a convention that assembled in Savannah on October 1, 1776. This gathering was in accordance with the recommendation of the Continental Congress that the colonies' people should form independent state governments. The document was signed in Savannah on February 5, 1777, marking the first year of the independence of the United States of America.
The 1777 constitution included provisions for the selection of representatives, with each county having at least one representative. It also addressed the powers of the house of assembly, including the ability to make laws and regulations for the state's good order and well-being. The document outlined the role and term limits of the governor, who was to be chosen annually by ballot and was ineligible for the office for more than one year out of three. It also featured a section on civil liberties, including protections against excessive fines and bail demands.
The seal of the state, as described in the 1777 constitution, was to have a scroll engraved with "The Constitution of the State of Georgia" and the motto "Pro bono publico." On the other side, it depicted an elegant house, fields of corn, meadows with sheep and cattle, a river, and a ship under full sail, along with the motto "Deus nobis haec otia fecit." This constitution also outlined the oath of office for the governor, affirming their commitment to faithfully execute their duties and defend the state of Georgia.
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The constitution was drafted in Savannah
Georgia has had ten constitutions, seven of which—1777, 1789, 1861, 1865, 1868, 1877, and 1945—were written during war-related periods. The Constitution of 1798 was one of only three framed completely under peaceful conditions.
The first constitution of Georgia was drafted in Savannah in 1776. This was just three months after the American colonies declared independence from Great Britain. The convention that produced the Constitution of 1777 was Georgia's first attempt at a constitutional government. It was initiated in April 1776 by the Provincial Congress, which was called by the Georgia Trustees in response to a series of mass meetings held throughout the colony. The delegates from twelve parishes, as well as the towns of Savannah and Sunbury, met in Savannah on the first Tuesday in October. This first constitution was completed in February 1777 and remained in effect for twelve years without being submitted to voters for ratification.
The Constitution of 1777 provided that another convention could be called by the people for the purpose of altering the document. This would only be done if petitions calling for such changes emanated from a majority of the state's counties and were signed by a majority of voters within each county. This constitution was eventually replaced by the Constitution of 1789, which was ratified by a third convention in Augusta in May 1789.
The 1798 constitution was in effect for sixty-three years. It was almost twice the length of the previous version and contained detailed prescriptive measures. The 1835 amendment to the 1798 constitution authorized a state supreme court, though it was not established until 1845.
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The governor was to be chosen annually
Georgia's first attempt at a constitutional government was initiated in April 1776. The state's inaugural constitution, known as the Constitution of 1777, was completed in February 1777. This constitution remained in effect for twelve years without being submitted to voters for ratification.
The 1777 Constitution stipulated that the governor was to be chosen annually by ballot and could not hold office for more than one year out of three. The governor was also prohibited from holding any military commission under any other state. The document outlined the governor's oath, which included a promise to "support, maintain, and defend the State of Georgia, and the constitution of the same".
The Constitution of 1777 was framed by a convention that assembled in Savannah in October 1776, just three months after the American colonies declared independence from Great Britain. This convention was Georgia's first and was called for by the Provincial Congress in response to a series of mass meetings held throughout the colony. The delegates anticipated that amendments and revisions would be necessary, and so the Constitution of 1777 provided that another convention could be called by the people to alter the document.
In 1788, Georgia began to seriously consider amending the 1777 Constitution. The democratic ideals fostered by the American Revolution promoted a widespread insistence on government accountability and greater political participation by the citizenry. This led to the state retooling its constitutional process in the conventions of 1788 and 1789 to give it more popular legitimacy and secure confidence in the process. The revised constitution was ratified in 1789.
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The constitution was revised in 1788-89
Georgia's first attempt at a constitutional government was initiated in April 1776. This document provided a framework for the transition from colony to state. Soon after Georgia accepted the Declaration of Independence, its first state constitutional convention was organised. Completed in February 1777, this constitution remained in effect for twelve years.
In 1788, Georgia ratified the U.S. Constitution. That same year, Georgia began to seriously consider amending the state Constitution of 1777. The democratic ideals fostered by the American Revolution promoted a widespread insistence on government accountability and greater political participation by the citizenry. Constitutional conventions became an important element of implementing these ideals. The state began to retool its constitutional process in the conventions of 1788 and 1789 to give it more popular legitimacy and to secure confidence in the process, particularly through reforms that encouraged greater political participation.
The delegates embarked upon a rigorous inspection of the document and then proceeded to revise it. Upon completion, the legislature once again called for counties to elect delegates, this time to a third convention for the purpose of finally ratifying the proposed (and revised) constitution. On 6 May 1789, this third meeting in Augusta adopted the Georgia Constitution of 1789. That this document resulted from three separate conventions reflects both the ambiguities of the convention process in American history and the influence of certain revolutionary ideals on political processes.
Seven of Georgia’s constitutions—those of 1777, 1789, 1861, 1865, 1868, 1877, and 1945—were directly associated with war-related periods. The Constitution of 1798 was one of only three framed completely under peaceful conditions. It was in effect for sixty-three years.
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The 1798 constitution was framed under peaceful conditions
Georgia's constitutional history illustrates the various methods by which a constitution may be written or revised. The state has used three different methods of constitutional revision: seven were revised by constitutional conventions, two by constitutional commissions, and one by the office of legislative counsel of the Georgia General Assembly.
Georgia's first attempt at constitutional government was initiated in April 1776 by the Provincial Congress, which was called by the Georgia Trustees in response to a series of mass meetings held throughout the colony. This document provided a framework for the transition from colony to state. Soon after Georgia accepted the Declaration of Independence, its first state constitutional convention was organized. Completed in February 1777, this constitution remained in effect for twelve years.
The 1798 Constitution was one of only three framed completely under peaceful conditions. It was in effect for sixty-three years, almost twice the length of the previous version, and contained detailed prescriptive measures. Provisions of the former constitution were clarified, and legislative power was more carefully defined in light of the Yazoo land fraud. The 1798 Constitution also included civil liberties protections normally found in a bill of rights.
The 1798 Constitution established that the legislative, executive, and judiciary departments of government shall be distinct, and each department shall be confided to a separate body of magistracy. The legislative power was to be vested in two separate and distinct branches: a senate and a house of representatives, to be styled "The General Assembly." The senate was to be elected annually on the first Monday in November and composed of one member from each county, chosen by the electors thereof. The General Assembly was given the power to make all laws and ordinances deemed necessary and proper for the good of the state, provided they were not repugnant to the constitution.
The 1798 Constitution also addressed the role of the governor, who was to take an oath of office and serve as commander-in-chief of the state's army, navy, and militia. The governor had the power to grant reprieves for offenses against the state and to grant pardons or remit sentences, except in cases of impeachment, treason, or murder.
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Frequently asked questions
Georgia's first official constitution was written in 1777.
The first Georgia Constitution provided a framework for the transition from colony to state.
Georgia has had ten constitutions.
