Jonah Patel
The Mexican Constitution of 1824, also known as the Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States of 1824, was the first constitution of Mexico. It was enacted on October 4, 1824, and established the First Mexican Republic. The constitution was ratified by Congress after months of debate and included several provisions, such as establishing Catholicism as the state religion and outlining the election process for the president and vice president. The Mexican Constitution of 1824 was influenced by the Spanish Constitution of 1812 but included innovations to address Mexico's unique circumstances, such as republicanism, federalism, and the presidency.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | October 4, 1824 |
| Type | Federal Constitution |
| Country | Mexico |
| Religion | Catholicism |
| Government | Representative, popular, federal republic |
| Presidency | Elected for four-year terms by legislative bodies of the states |
| Vice Presidency | Elected for four-year terms by legislative bodies of the states |
| Congress | Two houses, composed of the lower house and the upper house |
| Congress Meeting Dates | January 1 to April 15 |
| Judicial Power | Held in a Supreme Court and superior courts of departments and districts |
| Supreme Court Composition | Eleven judges and the attorney general |
| Influences | Spanish Constitution of 1812, U.S. Constitution |
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What You'll Learn
The Mexican Constitution of 1824 was signed in Mexico City
The Mexican Constitution of 1824, officially titled the Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States of 1824, was the first constitution of Mexico. It was enacted on 4 October 1824 and established the First Mexican Republic. The constitution was signed in Mexico City, which at the time was the country's capital and remains so today.
The Mexican Constitution of 1824 was modelled on the Spanish Constitution of 1812, which had been promulgated during the Mexican War of Independence. The 1812 Constitution established a system of "provincial deputations", which granted more autonomy to local governments in the colonies while also providing for freedom of speech. However, the new Mexican federation in 1824 shared sovereignty between the national government and the states, which meant that unlike the earlier Spanish Constitution, the Mexican Constitution did not define citizenship. This was left to the prerogatives of the states, along with decisions about suffrage and the size of the population required to establish town councils.
The Mexican Constitution of 1824 established a representative, popular, federal republic with a weak executive and a powerful legislature. It adopted Catholicism as the state religion and provided for the public treasury to support the Church. The constitution also limited the powers of the president, who, along with the vice president, was to be elected for a four-year term by the legislative bodies of the states. The Congress was given two houses and the power to interpret the document, and it met annually from January 1 to April 15. The constitution was abolished twice, first in 1836 and again in 1844, but was reinstated several times before a new constitution was enacted in 1857.
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It was enacted on October 4, 1824
The Mexican Constitution of 1824 was enacted on 4 October 1824. It was the first constitution of Mexico, inaugurating the First Mexican Republic. The constitution was ratified by Congress after months of debate. It was modelled on the Spanish Constitution of 1812, though it did not address a number of issues included in the earlier document. This was because the new Mexican federation shared sovereignty between the national government and the states.
The 1824 constitution established Catholicism as the state religion, with the Church supported by the public treasury. It also outlined that the president and vice president were to be elected for four-year terms by the legislative bodies of the states. The president's power was limited, and Congress was made up of two houses that met annually from 1 January to 15 April. The constitution also gave the states significant taxing power.
The principal innovations of republicanism, federalism, and the presidency were adopted to address Mexico's new reality. The monarchy was abolished due to the failures of Fernando VII and Agustín I as rulers. Federalism arose naturally from Mexico's earlier political experience. The provincial deputations created by the Constitution of Cádiz simply converted themselves into states.
The constitutions of the states of the Mexican federation varied but generally followed the precedents of the Constitution of Cádiz. Most state constitutions explicitly defined the people in their territory as citizens of the state.
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It was the first constitution of Mexico
The Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States of 1824, also known as the Mexican Constitution of 1824, was the first constitution enacted in Mexico. It was ratified by Congress on October 4, 1824, marking a significant moment in the country's history and inaugurating the First Mexican Republic.
The constitution was the result of months of debate and was influenced by the earlier Spanish Constitution of 1812, which had granted more autonomy to local governments in the colonies and provided for freedom of speech. However, the 1824 constitution was not a mere copy of its 1812 counterpart. It was shaped by the unique circumstances and political realities of Mexico at the time, including the assertion of states' rights by the former provinces.
One of the key features of the Mexican Constitution of 1824 was its establishment of a federal system. It shared sovereignty between the national government and the states, reflecting the victory of federalists over those who favoured a strong central government. The constitution gave significant taxing power to the states and allowed them to define citizenship and suffrage, resulting in variations among the constitutions of the Mexican states.
The constitution also addressed the form of government, adopting a representative, popular, federal republic. It established a system of two legislative bodies, with the president and vice president elected for four-year terms by the legislative bodies of the states. The constitution placed several limitations on the president's powers, and Congress was given the authority to interpret the document.
In terms of religion, the constitution declared Catholicism as the state religion, and the church was supported by the public treasury. It stated that "the religion of the Mexican nation is and will permanently be the Roman, Catholic, Apostolic [religion]."
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It was patterned after the US Constitution
The Mexican Constitution of 1824 was the first constitution of Mexico, enacted on 4 October 1824, and it inaugurated the First Mexican Republic. It was drafted after the Mexican War of Independence, which wrested control from Spain, and the demise of the short-lived monarchy of Agustin I, the first independent post-colonial leader of Mexico. The Constitution of 1824 was modelled on the Spanish Constitution of 1812, which had been promulgated during the insurgency led by José María Morelos. However, it was also patterned after the US Constitution, to some degree.
The Constitution of 1824 established Mexico as a representative, popular, federal republic, with a system of 'provincial deputations' that granted more autonomy to local governments in the colonies while also providing for freedom of speech. The provincial deputations created by the Constitution of 1812 simply converted themselves into states. The Mexican charter gave the states significant taxing power and the power to decide on matters such as citizenship and suffrage, which were not defined by the national constitution.
The 1824 Constitution established a weak executive, with numerous limitations on the powers of the president. The Congress was made the final interpreter of the document, and it was composed of two houses that met annually from 1 January to 15 April. The president could prolong the regular session for an additional thirty days and call extra sessions. The president and vice-president were elected for four-year terms by the legislative bodies of the states, with the lower house of Congress electing in the case of a tie or lack of a majority.
The Constitution of 1824 also established the Catholic religion as the state faith, supported by the public treasury. This was similar to the US Constitution's establishment of religious freedom, although the Mexican Constitution prohibited the exercise of any religion other than Catholicism.
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It was based on the Spanish Constitution of 1812
The Mexican Constitution of 1824 was the first constitution of Mexico, enacted on 4 October 1824. It was drafted by a committee consisting of Miguel Ramos Arizpe, Juan de Dios Cañedo, Miguel Argüelles, Rafael Mangino, Tomás Vargas, José de Jesús Huerta, and Manuel Crescencio Rejón. The document was based on shared Hispanic political theory and practice, and the group was able to complete the draft in a few days.
The Mexican Constitution of 1824 was modelled on the Spanish Constitution of 1812. The 1812 Constitution was promulgated during the insurgency led by José María Morelos and established a system of ''provincial deputations' that granted more autonomy to local governments in the colonies while also providing for freedom of speech. The 1824 Constitution, however, did not address some of the issues included in the earlier document because the new Mexican federation shared sovereignty between the national government and the states. For example, unlike the 1812 Constitution, which defined citizenship, the Mexican Constitution of 1824 remained silent on the subject. Similarly, it did not define who possessed suffrage or the size of the population required to establish ayuntamientos (town councils), which were significant factors in determining the popular nature of the Hispanic constitutional system.
Both the 1812 and 1824 Constitutions established powerful legislatures and weak executives. The principal innovations of the 1824 Constitution (republicanism, federalism, and the presidency) were adopted to address Mexico's new reality. The monarchy was abolished due to the failures of Fernando VII and Agustín I as rulers, not because Mexicans were imitating the U.S. Constitution. The 1824 Constitution also gave the states significant taxing power, which was not specified in the 1812 Constitution.
The Mexican Constitution of 1824 established that the Catholic religion was the state faith and that the church would be supported by the public treasury. It also provided for numerous limitations on the powers of the president. The constitution was composed of 7 titles and 171 articles.
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Frequently asked questions
The Mexican Constitution of 1824 was signed in Mexico City.
The Mexican Constitution of 1824 was the first constitution of Mexico, enacted on October 4, 1824, and it established the First Mexican Republic. It was patterned after the United States Constitution but more closely resembled the Spanish Constitution of 1812. It established Catholicism as the state religion and made Congress the final interpreter of the document.
Stephen F. Austin met with the Mexican leaders who wrote the Constitution of 1824. Juan Jose Maria Erasmo Seguin represented Texas.
