Omar Bennett
Mexico's current constitution, known formally as the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States, was drafted in Santiago de Querétaro, in the State of Querétaro, Mexico, and approved by the Constituent Congress on February 5, 1917. The constitution was the culmination of the Mexican Revolution and is still in force today, over 100 years later.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date Written | 5 February 1917 |
| Date of Last Amendment | 1992 |
| Location Written | Santiago de Querétaro, State of Querétaro, Mexico |
| Purpose | To revise the liberal constitution of 1857 |
| Number of Articles | 137 |
| Current Status | In force |
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What You'll Learn
The Mexican Constitution was proclaimed on February 5, 1917
The Constitution of 1917 is divided into ten thematic titles and contains 137 articles. These articles define citizenship, organise a government, mandate land reform, and enumerate basic human rights for all Mexicans. The constitution also establishes economic and political principles for the country and guarantees personal freedoms and civil liberties.
Some of the most important provisions are Articles 3, 27, and 123. Article 3 established free, obligatory, and secular public education free from clerical supervision, and secularised the Mexican state. Article 27 mandated that lands taken from the peasantry had to be returned and enabled the government to implement land reform and exert control over its subsoil resources, particularly oil. Article 123, often referred to as the Magna Carta of labour and social welfare, guaranteed minimum wages, the right to organise and strike, and outlined a comprehensive system of social security, including public health and welfare programs.
The Constitution of 1917 was a product of the Mexican Revolution and incorporated the aspirations of the groups involved, including the agrarian reform advocated by the followers of Emiliano Zapata. It gave the government the right to confiscate land from wealthy landowners, guaranteed workers' rights, and widened the educational base to include availability of primary school for the masses. The Constitution of 1917 also provided for equality in treatment without discrimination on the basis of race, creed, social or political condition, among other reforms.
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It was drafted in Querétaro, Mexico
The current Mexican constitution, formally the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States, was drafted in Santiago de Querétaro, in the State of Querétaro, Mexico. The drafting took place at a constituent convention during the Mexican Revolution. Querétaro was chosen as the drafting location by Carranza, who was looking to legitimize the Revolution and get himself elected president. He chose Querétaro because it was where Emperor Maximilian of Mexico was executed, bringing an end to the Second French Intervention in 1867. Another view is that Mexico City was too conservative, and Querétaro was a quiet, peaceful place for such an important meeting.
The convention was attended by Mexico's new political class, mostly middle-class reformers. Half of the attendees had university degrees, and only 30% had fought in the Revolution. They were young, ambitious, and relatively apolitical. The convention formally opened in November 1916, with delegate elections and credentials fights preceding it. The final draft was approved on February 5, 1917, by the Constituent Congress, and the constitution has been in force in Mexico ever since.
The Constitution of 1917 is the successor to the Constitution of 1857 and earlier Mexican constitutions. It is considered the legal triumph of the Mexican Revolution, conferring dictatorial powers on the president, but also incorporating the aspirations of the groups involved in the Revolution. It gave the government the right to confiscate land from wealthy landowners, guaranteed workers' rights, limited the rights of the Roman Catholic Church, and widened the educational base to include primary school for the masses.
The Constitution of 1917 is divided into ten thematic titles, listing human rights, defining national citizenship, outlining associated rights, and specifying freedoms of foreigners residing in the country. It also establishes the government, public service, and social welfare, and designates Mexico City as the capital, with the Federal District a separate entity, apart from state jurisdiction.
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The Constitution was a product of the Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Constitution of 1917, still in force today, was a product of the Mexican Revolution. It was promulgated by Mexican President Venustiano Carranza on February 5, 1917, in the city of Querétaro, at the Teatro de la República (the Theatre of the Republic).
The Constitution was drafted by a constituent convention during the Mexican Revolution, which started in 1910 and was led by Carranza's Constitutionalist faction. The Revolution had a profound impact on those at the convention, and the document reflects their experiences. The Constitution incorporated the aspirations of the groups involved in the Revolution, including agrarian reform, and it conferred dictatorial powers on the president.
The Constitution of 1917 was a successor to the Constitution of 1857 and earlier Mexican constitutions. It was a more sweeping document, containing significant social reforms and providing for equality in treatment without discrimination based on race, creed, social or political condition. It also established the basis for free, mandatory, and secular education, and laid the foundation for land reform.
Articles 3, 27, and 123 were adopted in response to the armed insurrection of the popular classes during the Revolution. Article 3 established free and secular public education, independent of the church. Article 27 mandated the return of lands taken from the peasantry during the Porfiriato, and Article 123 was designed to empower the labor sector, guaranteeing minimum wages and the right to organize and strike.
The Constitution of 1917 was considered a legal triumph of the Mexican Revolution and served as a model for progressive constitutions worldwide, including the Weimar Constitution of 1919 and the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic Constitution of 1918.
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It guarantees personal freedoms and civil liberties
The Mexican Constitution was proclaimed on February 5, 1917, by President Venustiano Carranza. It is also known as the fundamental law of the Mexican federal republic. The Constitution of 1917 guarantees personal freedoms and civil liberties and also establishes economic and political principles for the country.
The Constitution of 1917 incorporated the aspirations of the groups involved in the Mexican Revolution, including the agrarian reform advocated by the followers of Emiliano Zapata. It gave the government the right to confiscate land from wealthy landowners, guaranteed workers' rights, and widened the educational base to include the availability of primary school for the Mexican masses. The Constitution also limited the rights of the Roman Catholic Church.
Article 3 of the Constitution of 1917 offered a vast plan for secular free compulsory public education. It stated that there would be "full liberty of instruction, but that given in official educational establishments will be secular, and the instruction imparted by these institutions will be free at both the upper and lower levels."
Article 14 reaffirmed the sanctity of private property and contracts, but Article 27 interjected concepts of social utility and national benefit to limit the untrammeled use of private property. It reasserted national ownership of subsoil resources and outlined alternative land reform and agrarian programs.
Article 123, the Magna Carta of labour and social welfare, guaranteed minimum wages and the right to organize and strike. It also gave social status to labour and destroyed the concept of it as an economic commodity. Additionally, Article 123 outlined a comprehensive system of social security, including public health and welfare programs.
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It establishes economic and political principles for the country
Mexico's current constitution, the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States, was approved by the Constituent Congress on February 5, 1917, and has been amended several times since. It is considered the legal triumph of the Mexican Revolution, and it is still in force today.
The Constitution of 1917 establishes economic and political principles for the country. It incorporates the major features of the 1824 and 1857 charters regarding territorial organization, civil liberties, democratic forms, and anti-monopoly clauses. It also completely overturns the widely held belief that the Mexican government should only take a limited, passive role. Instead, it asserts that the national government has an obligation to take an active role in promoting the social, economic, and cultural well-being of its citizens.
The Constitution of 1917 conferred dictatorial powers on the president, but it also incorporated the aspirations of the groups involved in the Mexican Revolution, including agrarian reform. It gave the government the right to confiscate land from wealthy landowners and return it to the peasantry, even if they did not have written titles. It also allowed the government to take all land not used "appropriately" and repurpose it for the public good. The Constitution further guaranteed workers' rights, limited the rights of the Roman Catholic Church, and widened the educational base to include availability of primary school for the Mexican masses.
Articles 3, 27, and 123 are considered some of the most important provisions of the Constitution. Article 3 established free, obligatory, and secular public education free from clerical supervision, and secularized the Mexican state. Article 27 mandated that lands taken from the peasantry during the Porfiriato had to be returned, even if they did not have written titles. It also outlined alternative land reform and agrarian programs, and asserted national ownership of subsoil resources. Article 123, the Magna Carta of labour and social welfare, guaranteed minimum wages and the right to organize and strike. It also outlined a comprehensive system of social security, including public health and welfare programs.
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Frequently asked questions
Mexico's current constitution was approved on February 5, 1917.
The Constitution of 1917 was written during the Mexican Revolution, and is considered the legal triumph of the Revolution. It was drafted in Santiago de Querétaro, in the State of Querétaro, Mexico, by a constituent convention.
The Constitution of 1917 conferred dictatorial powers on the president, but it also incorporated the aspirations of the groups involved in the Mexican Revolution. It guaranteed workers' rights, gave the government the right to confiscate land from wealthy landowners, and widened the educational base to include availability of primary school for the masses. It also contained significant social reforms to labour laws, and provided for equality in treatment without discrimination on the basis of race, creed, social or political condition.
The most important articles of the Constitution of 1917 are considered to be Articles 3, 27, and 123. Article 3 established free, obligatory, and secular public education free from clerical supervision, and secularized the Mexican state. Article 27 mandated that lands taken from the peasantry had to be returned, and that the government could also take all land not used "appropriately" and repurpose it for the public good. Article 123 guaranteed minimum wages and the right to organize and strike.
Yes, the Constitution of 1917 is still in force today, although it has been amended several times.
