Omar Bennett
The Wyoming Constitution, which is the state constitution of Wyoming, was adopted on September 30, 1889, and ratified by voters on November 5, 1889. It has been amended 71 times and outlines the state's framework for governance, including the powers, structure, and limitations of the state government, individual and civil rights, and other matters. The document was drafted by 49 delegates, including Dr. Elwood Mead, a territorial engineer with substantial experience in water laws, who was instrumental in drafting the water and irrigation article. The constitution was created in the context of Wyoming's pursuit of statehood, with Territorial Governor Francis E. Warren calling for a swift process to pressure Congress into admitting Wyoming as a new state. Wyoming became a state in 1890, and its constitution, though much longer, shares similarities with the U.S. Constitution, including a Declaration of Rights that guarantees political and civil rights.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date written | September 1889 |
| Date adopted | 30 September 1889 |
| Date ratified | 5 November 1889 |
| Number of delegates | 49 |
| Location written | Cheyenne, Wyoming |
| Number of articles | 21 |
| Number of amendments | 71 |
| Number of words | 30,000 |
| Length of drafting | 25 days |
| Number of sections in Article I | 39 |
| Number of sections in Article IV | 15 |
| Number of sections in Article V | 29 |
| Number of sections in Article VI | 22 |
| Number of sections in Article VII | 23 |
| Number of sections in Article VIII | 5 |
| Notable figures involved | Francis E. Warren, Thomas Moonlight, Joseph M. Carey, Charles Potter, E. S. N. Morgan, George Baxter, John Hoyt, M. C. Brown, Elwood Mead, A.J. Campbell, Ester Hobart Morris, Louisa Swain, Estelle Reel |
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What You'll Learn
Who drafted the Wyoming Constitution?
The Wyoming Constitution was drafted by 49 delegates who met in Cheyenne, Wyoming, in September 1889. The delegates were chosen in a special election called by Territorial Governor Francis E. Warren. They assembled the document in just 25 days. The constitution was ratified on November 5, 1889, by a vote of 6,272 to 1,923.
The constitution was modelled on the U.S. Constitution, which was drafted 100 years earlier, and the constitutions of Washington, Montana, and the Dakotas, which were admitted to the union in the same year as Wyoming. The document is nearly 30,000 words long, more than six times the length of the U.S. Constitution.
The Wyoming Constitution includes a Declaration of Rights, which sets forth specific political and civil rights. It also includes broader limitations on the role of government than the U.S. Constitution. For example, it provides for the direct election of the governor and four other officers: the secretary of state, treasurer, auditor, and superintendent of public instruction. This structure reduces the power of the governor compared to other states.
The Wyoming Constitution also includes a revolutionary provision on water and irrigation, firmly establishing the principle of state ownership of all water within its borders. The most important figure in drafting this article was Dr. Elwood Mead, the territorial engineer with substantial experience in administering Wyoming's territorial water laws as well as the laws in Colorado.
The Wyoming Constitution has been amended approximately 75 times since its adoption but remains generally similar to the document drafted in 1889.
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Why was the constitution drafted?
The Wyoming Constitution is the state constitution of Wyoming. It was adopted on September 30, 1889, and ratified by voters on November 5, 1889. Wyoming became the 44th state on July 10, 1890. The constitution was drafted during a period of statehood debates in the late 1880s and early 1890s.
By the late 1880s, Democrats and Republicans in Wyoming Territory agreed that it was time for their territory to become a state. Statehood was particularly attractive to the territory's businessmen and politicians, as it offered them more local control over land and water issues and reduced their dependence on the federal government for funding. However, Wyoming faced an obstacle to statehood because its population was below the threshold of 60,000 people typically required for a territory to qualify.
In 1889, Territorial Governor Francis E. Warren called a special election to choose delegates for a Constitutional Convention. Forty-nine delegates met in Cheyenne and quickly assembled a constitution in just 25 days. The rush to produce a document was intended to put pressure on Congress to admit Wyoming as a new state, and this tactic proved effective.
The Wyoming Constitution was modelled after the U.S. Constitution but included several notable differences. At nearly 30,000 words, it was more than six times longer than the U.S. Constitution. It also codified additional rights not specifically reserved to individuals in the national document, including the right to vote and hold office for women, which had been the law in Wyoming Territory since 1869. The provision caused controversy when the Wyoming statehood question came before Congress in 1890, but it was ultimately allowed to stand.
In summary, the Wyoming Constitution was drafted during a period of statehood debates in the late 1880s and early 1890s. The rush to produce a constitution was a strategic move to gain statehood for Wyoming, and it successfully led to the territory's admission as the 44th state in 1890. The document included several notable differences from the U.S. Constitution, such as expanded rights for women and a unique system of water allocation.
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How long did it take to draft?
The Wyoming Constitution was drafted in just 25 days in September 1889 by 49 delegates from across Wyoming Territory. They had been chosen in a special election called by Territorial Governor Francis E. Warren. He knew that if they could produce a document quickly, it would put more pressure on Congress to admit Wyoming as a new state. The delegates met in Cheyenne, and the constitution was ratified on November 5, 1889, by a vote of 6,272 to 1,923. Wyoming officially became a state on July 10, 1890.
The Wyoming Constitution is the state's only constitution and has been amended 71 times since its adoption. It is nearly 30,000 words long, making it more than six times the length of the US Constitution, which was drafted 100 years earlier. The US Constitution was the primary model for the Wyoming Constitution, but the two documents are quite different. The Wyoming Constitution includes a Declaration of Rights, which sets forth specific political and civil rights and broader limitations on the role of government than the US Constitution.
The delegates who drafted the Wyoming Constitution were in a hurry, and their haste is reflected in the document's length and level of detail. The constitution was a "cut-and-paste job" in many ways, and it included language and ideas from existing amendments of the US Constitution. Despite the rushed process, the Wyoming Constitution has served as a framework for the state's governance for over a century.
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What was the role of Francis E. Warren?
Francis Emroy Warren, born on June 20, 1844, in Hinsdale, Massachusetts, was an American politician of the Republican Party. He is best known for his years in the United States Senate representing Wyoming and being the first Governor of Wyoming. Warren served in the Union Army during the American Civil War and received the Medal of Honor for battlefield gallantry at the siege of Port Hudson.
In addition to his military and political career, Warren was also a successful businessman. After the Civil War, he engaged in farming and stock-raising in Massachusetts before moving to Wyoming in 1868. He settled in Cheyenne and became involved in real estate, the mercantile business, and livestock raising, and even established the city's first lighting system. Warren's wealth and political connections grew, and he served in various roles, including member of the Wyoming Territorial Senate, chairman of the Republican Territorial Central Committee, Territorial Treasurer, and Mayor of Cheyenne.
As Territorial Governor of Wyoming, appointed by Presidents Chester Arthur and Benjamin Harrison, Warren played a crucial role in the creation of the Wyoming Constitution. In 1889, he called for a special election of delegates from across the Wyoming Territory to draft a constitution for the aspiring state. The delegates met in Cheyenne and assembled the document in just 25 days, modelling it after the U.S. Constitution. This swift action put pressure on Congress to admit Wyoming as a new state, which officially occurred in 1890.
Following his term as Territorial Governor, Warren was elected as Wyoming's first governor in 1890. However, his tenure was brief as he was soon elected to the United States Senate as a Republican. He served in the Senate for over 37 years, holding powerful positions such as chairman of the Appropriations Committee. During World War I, he played an instrumental role in funding the American efforts. Warren passed away on November 24, 1929, leaving behind a legacy of political influence and contribution to the development of Wyoming.
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What were the key features of the constitution?
The Wyoming Constitution, one of the most distinctive and unique state constitutions in the United States, has its foundations laid by John A. Campbell, often regarded as the "father" of this document. Campbell, a lawyer and former judge, played a pivotal role in drafting this important document, which was adopted in 1889 and paved the way for Wyoming's admission to the union in 1890. The constitution he helped craft included several key features that reflected the state's progressive spirit and set Wyoming apart from other states.
One of the most notable aspects of the Wyoming Constitution was its provision for women's suffrage. In a groundbreaking move, the document granted women the right to vote and hold public office, making Wyoming the first state in the nation to extend full voting rights to women. This provision was a testament to the state's commitment to equality and set a precedent for the women's suffrage movement nationwide. Another distinctive feature of the constitution was its emphasis on water rights and irrigation. Recognizing the importance of effective water management in the semi-arid region, the document included provisions for the control, appropriation, and distribution of water, ensuring that this vital resource was carefully overseen.
The constitution also established a system of checks and balances, dividing the state government into three separate branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. This separation of powers was designed to prevent the concentration of authority in a single branch and promote a balanced governance structure. Additionally, the document provided for a strong bill of rights, guaranteeing individual liberties and protections for the state's citizens. These rights included freedom of speech, religion, and the press, as well as the right to bear arms and due process of law.
Furthermore, the Wyoming Constitution demonstrated a commitment to public education. It mandated that the state establish and maintain a comprehensive system of free public schools, ensuring that all children in the state had access to education. This provision reflected the understanding that education is essential for a thriving democracy and a prosperous future. The constitution also included provisions for the management and conservation of the state's natural resources, including its vast lands and mineral wealth. These provisions ensured that the state's resources were utilized sustainably and for the benefit of its citizens.
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Frequently asked questions
Governor Francis E. Warren is known as the father of the Wyoming Constitution.
Governor Francis E. Warren called a special election for delegates to meet and write a constitution for the new state of Wyoming.
Governor Francis E. Warren called the special election on July 8, 1889.
The delegates met in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
There were 49 delegates.
