Simone Lawson
Alabama has had seven constitutions to date, with the current one being ratified by voters in 2022. The first Alabama Constitution was written in 1819, and it served as the first of six constitutions written for the State of Alabama over its two centuries of existence. Between July 5 and August 2, 1819, forty-four delegates from across the Alabama Territory convened in Huntsville to draft a constitution for statehood. The document was signed on August 2, 1819, and President James Monroe signed the constitution on December 14, 1819, making Alabama the twenty-second state.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date written | 5 July 1819 – 2 August 1819 |
| Date signed | 2 August 1819 |
| Date ratified | 14 December 1819 |
| Number of delegates | 44 |
| Location | Huntsville, Madison County |
| Type of building | Cabinetmaker's shop |
| Number of constitutions to date | 7 |
| Number of amendments | 977 |
| Length | 31 feet |
| Latest recompilation | 28 November 2022 |
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What You'll Learn
The Alabama Constitution of 1819
The delegates included lawyers, physicians, ministers, planters, farmers, a surveyor, and a merchant. John Williams Walker was unanimously elected as the president of the convention, and future U.S. Treasurer John Campbell served as its secretary. A duly appointed Committee of Fifteen, chaired by Clement Comer Clay, was tasked with drafting the constitution. The document was modelled after the constitution of Mississippi, which was based on the U.S. Constitution.
The constitution included provisions for the protection of religious freedom, conscience rights, and the separation of church and state. It guaranteed the right to bear arms, a speedy public trial, and the abolishment of a standing army without the consent of the General Assembly. Additionally, it allowed citizens to vote on amendments, making Alabama one of the first states to give its people direct participation in constitutional lawmaking. The constitution was later amended three times, in 1830, 1846, and 1850, before being replaced in 1861 by a new constitution that took Alabama out of the Union on the eve of the American Civil War.
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The Alabama Constitution of 1861
The 1861 Constitution was a revised version of the state's original 1819 Constitution, which had served as the transitional constitution as Alabama became a state. The new constitution retained the three branches of government: executive, judicial, and legislative. The executive branch was headed by the governor, who was elected by the people and could serve two-year consecutive terms, with a maximum of two terms in a six-year period. The General Assembly appointed other executive branch officials, except when the Assembly was in recess, in which case the governor could fill these positions. The Judicial Branch included the Alabama Supreme Court and district circuit courts, with Supreme Court Justices appointed by the General Assembly and district court judges elected by the people.
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The Alabama Constitution of 1865
Alabama has had seven constitutions to date, with the current one being adopted in 2022. The Alabama Constitution of 1865 was the third of these constitutions and was established after the American Civil War. It replaced the Alabama Constitution of 1861, which had taken the state out of the Union just before the war broke out. The 1865 Constitution removed the language of secession to make the state eligible for readmission to the Union.
The 1865 Constitution was replaced by the Alabama Constitution of 1868, which recognised the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the US Constitution. These amendments abolished slavery, established due process and equal protection under the law, and prohibited the denial of the right to vote based on race, colour, or previous servitude.
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![Constitution, State of Alabama: As Adopted by the Constitutional Convention, September 3rd, 1901 ... 1901 [Leather Bound]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61vI5PkK8ZL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
The Alabama Constitution of 1868
Alabama has had seven constitutions to date, all but the current one established via State Conventions. The Alabama Constitution of 1868 was the fourth of these constitutions and was written during the Reconstruction period following the Confederacy's loss in the American Civil War.
The 1868 Constitutional Convention began on November 5, 1867, with 100 delegates, including 96 Republicans and 18 African Americans. This made it the only constitution in Alabama's history in which African Americans had a significant role in creating. The convention concluded on December 6, 1867, and the proposed constitution was sent to the voters for ratification in February 1868, making it the first constitution in Alabama history to be voted on by the people.
The 1868 Constitution was one of Alabama's most progressive. It guaranteed the rights of all citizens, protected the property rights of married women, protected black suffrage, broadened the voting rights of poor whites, and created a bureau to promote industrial development. It also provided financial support for public education, although this was largely segregated, through the sale of land, a poll tax, and a variety of taxes on industries, and established a centralized Board of Education.
Despite its progressive nature, the Alabama Constitution of 1868 failed and was never adopted as it could not reach a majority vote for ratification.
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The Alabama Constitution of 1901
Alabama has had seven constitutions to date, with the current one being ratified by voters in 2022. The Alabama Constitution of 1901 was the sixth state constitution, and it was established during the Jim Crow era. It was a highly discriminatory document that perpetuated a tax structure favouring the wealthy and included racist language. For instance, it hindered lawmakers' ability to change policies that perpetuated harmful and racist objectives. It also overtaxed people with low incomes and underfunded vital services.
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Frequently asked questions
The Alabama Constitution was written between July 5 and August 2, 1819, and was signed on August 2, 1819.
Alabama has had seven constitutions to date. The current constitution was ratified by voters in 2022.
The first Alabama Constitution was written in 1819, converting Alabama Territory into a state.
