Simone Lawson
The Illinois State Constitution has been ratified four times, with the most recent version—the Constitution of Illinois of 1970 or 1970 Constitution—being adopted in 1970 and amended several times thereafter. The original copies of the Illinois Constitution can be found at the Illinois State Archives as part of the Secretary of State Record Series 103.012, First Constitution of Illinois. The Illinois State Library has also digitized all editions of the ratified and proposed state constitutions, as well as reference works about the constitutions and journals of the various constitutional conventions. The records of the first constitutional convention held in Illinois, along with the text of the first constitution, are available online through the Illinois State Historical Society.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location of the original copies of the Illinois Constitution | Illinois State Archives, Illinois State Library, and online |
| Year of the first Illinois Constitution | 1818 |
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What You'll Learn
Illinois State Archives
The Illinois State Archives holds the original copies of the Illinois Constitution. The Illinois Constitution has been ratified four times, in 1818, 1848, 1870, and most recently in 1970, with amendments after that date. The 1818 Constitution was drafted by 33 delegates, led by 24-year-old Elias Kent Kane, and consisted of eight articles. This version was considered very liberal at the time, as it allowed all white males who had lived in the state for six months to vote, regardless of citizenship or property ownership.
The 1848 Constitution is available through the Illinois State Library's website, and the 1870 Constitution can be found in the book "Constitution of the State of Illinois Adopted in Convention". The 1970 Constitution is sometimes referred to as the "Constitution of Illinois of 1970" or the "1970 Constitution". It includes a preamble and 14 articles, and important features include the creation of home rule powers for larger municipalities and other units of local government. The Illinois State Library has digitised all editions of the ratified and proposed state constitutions, as well as reference works about the constitutions and journals of the various constitutional conventions.
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Illinois State Library
The Illinois Constitution has undergone several iterations, with four versions ratified in 1818, 1848, 1870, and 1970. The original copies of these documents can be found in various locations, including the Illinois State Archives and the Illinois State Library.
The Illinois State Archives houses the 1818 Constitution, which can be accessed as part of the Secretary of State Record Series 103.012, titled "First Constitution of Illinois." This version of the constitution was drafted by 33 delegates, including Elias Kent Kane, who later became Illinois' first Secretary of State. It was approved on August 26, 1818, and consisted of eight articles, modeled after the state constitutions of New York, Kentucky, and Ohio.
The Illinois State Library has digitized all editions of the ratified and proposed state constitutions, making them accessible to the public. This includes the 1848 Constitution, which can be found excerpted in the "Compilation of all the general laws concerning real estate and the title thereto, in the State of Illinois 1849." The 1870 Constitution, which was ratified by the people of Illinois on July 2, 1870, is also available through the Illinois State Library.
The most recent iteration, the 1970 Constitution, or the "Constitution of Illinois of 1970", was adopted in a special election on December 15, 1970. It includes a preamble and 14 articles, with important features such as the creation of home rule powers for larger municipalities. While I couldn't find the exact location of the original copy of the 1970 Constitution, it is likely that it is also accessible through the Illinois State Library or the Illinois State Archives, given their holdings of historical constitutional documents.
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Illinois State Historical Society
The Illinois State Historical Society was founded in 1899 to support the Illinois State Historical Library and encourage research and writing on subjects of Illinois history. The Society's mission is to foster awareness, understanding, research, preservation, and recognition of history in Illinois. It promotes the preservation, publication, teaching, understanding, and awareness of Illinois history through its Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society, the popular history magazine Illinois Heritage, and other publications. It also hosts programs such as the annual Illinois History Symposium, the Centennial Awards, the Annual Tour, and the Annual Awards.
The Illinois State Historical Society is a not-for-profit organization that relies on membership dues, gifts, bequests, and foundation grants to support its mission. Its business offices are located in Springfield, Illinois.
The Illinois Constitution is available at the Illinois State Archives as part of the Secretary of State Record Series 103.012, "First Constitution of Illinois." The 1818 State Constitution consists of eight articles and was modeled after the state constitutions of New York, Kentucky, and Ohio. It was considered very liberal at the time, granting all white males who had lived in the state for six months the right to vote with no property restrictions. It also severely limited the powers of the governor and set aside land in every township for schools.
Illinois has had four state constitutions, with the fourth version, the "Constitution of Illinois of 1970," adopted in 1970. Important features of the 1970 Constitution include the creation of home rule powers for larger municipalities and other units of local government. The 1970 Constitution has a preamble and 14 articles. The preamble expresses gratitude to Almighty God for civil, political, and religious liberty, and seeks to provide for the health, safety, and welfare of the people, maintain a representative and orderly government, eliminate poverty and inequality, and assure legal, social, and economic justice.
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Yale University (Elias Kent Kane's alma mater)
The original copies of the Illinois Constitution can be found at the Illinois State Archives as part of Secretary of State Record Series 103.012, "First Constitution of Illinois". The 1818 State Constitution was drafted by 33 delegates, including 24-year-old Elias Kent Kane, a New York-born attorney who graduated from Yale University in 1813.
Yale University, Elias Kent Kane's alma mater, is a prestigious institution of higher learning located in New Haven, Connecticut. Founded in 1701, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the most selective and prestigious universities in the world. Yale is organized into fourteen constituent schools, including the highly regarded Yale College, as well as the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and twelve professional schools. The university is consistently ranked among the top universities in the world and is well known for its research and scholarship across a wide range of disciplines.
Yale has a strong tradition of producing leaders in many fields, including law, business, politics, and academia. The university has a rich history and has played a significant role in the development of higher education in the United States. It is known for its innovative approaches to teaching and learning and has a strong commitment to academic excellence and intellectual inquiry.
Elias Kent Kane, a graduate of Yale College, went on to have a prominent career in law and politics. After graduating from Yale, he studied law and was admitted to the bar, commencing his practice in Nashville, Tennessee, before moving to Kaskaskia, Illinois, in 1814. In Kaskaskia, Kane became allied with Jesse B. Thomas, a slaveholder who had secured the position of judge of the Territory of Illinois. Kane himself was appointed a territorial judge and later served as Illinois' first Secretary of State. He was also a delegate to the first State Constitutional Convention in 1818, where he played a dominant role in drafting the governing document, which included a controversial provision for the retention of slavery.
Kane was elected to the United States Senate from Illinois in 1824 and served until his death in office in 1835. He is remembered as a prominent figure in the early statehood of Illinois and is sometimes referred to as "The Father of the Illinois Constitution". Kane County in Illinois was created in his honor in 1836.
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Office of the Illinois House of Representatives
The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly. It was created by the first Illinois Constitution, which was adopted in 1818. The House, as amended in 1980, consists of 118 representatives elected from individual legislative districts for two-year terms. Each representative represents approximately 108,734 people. The House has the power to pass bills and impeach Illinois officeholders, including executive and judicial officials.
To be eligible to serve in the Illinois House of Representatives, a person must be a US citizen, at least 21 years old, and a resident of the district they serve for a minimum of two years. Members of the House cannot hold other public offices or receive appointments by the governor while in office.
The Illinois House of Representatives meets at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois. It is required to convene on the second Wednesday of January each year. Along with the Illinois Senate and governor, the House has the power to make laws, propose a state budget, act on federal constitutional amendments, and propose constitutional amendments to the state constitution.
The current Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives is Emanuel Chris Welch, a Democrat from Hillside, who represents the 7th district. The Democratic Party of Illinois currently holds a supermajority of seats in the House.
The Illinois Constitution has been amended several times since its adoption in 1970, and there have been four versions in total. The original copies of the Illinois Constitution can be found at the Illinois State Archives as part of Secretary of State Record Series 103.012, "First Constitution of Illinois."
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Frequently asked questions
The original copies of the Illinois Constitution can be found at the Illinois State Archives and the Illinois State Library. The Illinois State Historical Society also has records of the first constitutional convention held in Illinois, along with the text of the first constitution, available online.
There have been four Illinois Constitutions, with the fourth and current version adopted in 1970.
The first Illinois Constitution was considered very liberal at the time. It allowed all white males who had lived in the state for six months the right to vote with no property restrictions and no requirement that they be U.S. citizens. It also severely limited the powers of the governor and set aside land in every township for schools.
The first Illinois Constitution was drafted in 1818. On April 18, 1818, President James Monroe signed the Enabling Act, which outlined the requirements for Illinois to become a state, including the need to pass a state Constitution. Following elections in July, 33 delegates met in Kaskaskia on August 3, 1818, to begin drafting the Constitution, which was approved on August 26, 1818.
Yes, there have been attempts to amend the Illinois Constitution. In 1988 and 2008, citizens sought to support a constitutional convention, but both measures were defeated by wide margins.
