Jonah Patel
The current Mexican Constitution, formally the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States, was approved by the Constituent Congress on February 5, 1917, and has been amended several times. It was drafted in Santiago de Querétaro, in the State of Querétaro, Mexico, by 214 legislators and signed by 209 deputies. The Constitution of 1917 is the successor to the Constitution of 1857 and earlier Mexican constitutions, and is the result of a long struggle of more than 200 years of the Mexican nation to conform as a nation.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of approval | 5 February 1917 |
| Location of approval | Querétaro |
| Number of articles | 136 or 137 |
| Number of legislators involved | 214 |
| Number of signatories | 209 |
| Purpose | To address the ideals of the Mexican Revolution, including land distribution, labour rights, secular and free education, and democratic renewal |
| Amendments | Several, including an amendment mandating socialist education from 1934 to 1946 |
| Guarantees | Personal freedoms, civil liberties, and economic and political principles |
| Notable articles | 3, 5, 14, 24, 27, 123, and 130 |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
The Constitution of 1917 is still in force today
The Mexican Constitution, also known as the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States, was approved by the Constituent Congress on February 5, 1917, and is still in force today. It is the successor to the Constitution of 1857 and earlier Mexican constitutions. The Constitution of 1917 is the first such document in the world to set out social rights and served as a model for the Weimar Constitution of 1919 and the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic Constitution of 1918.
The Constitution of 1917 is the fundamental law of the Mexican federal republic and has been amended several times. It guarantees personal freedoms and civil liberties and establishes economic and political principles for the country. The Constitution came with significant social reforms to labor laws and provided for equality in treatment without discrimination on the basis of race, creed, social or political condition, among other reforms. It also incorporated the aspirations of the groups involved in the Mexican Revolution, including agrarian reform, workers' rights, and land distribution.
The Constitution of 1917 has 136 or 137 articles, including three essential ones: Articles 3, 27, and 123. Article 3 established free, obligatory, and secular public education free from clerical supervision, and secularized the Mexican state. It also prohibited ministers or religious groups from aiding the poor, engaging in scientific research, and spreading their teachings. Article 27 mandated that lands taken from the peasantry during the Porfiriato had to be returned, even if they did not have written titles, and outlined alternative land-reform and agrarian programs. Article 123, the Magna Carta of labor and social welfare, established an 8-hour workday, a 6-day workweek, a minimum wage, and equal pay for equal work. It also gave social status to labor and outlined a comprehensive system of social security, including public health and welfare programs.
Anti-Federalist Refusal: The Constitution's Missing Signature
You may want to see also
Anticlericalism and the restriction of the Catholic Church
The current Mexican Constitution, formally the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States, was drafted in Santiago de Querétaro during the Mexican Revolution and approved by the Constituent Congress on 5 February 1917. It has been amended several times since.
The 1917 Constitution included several anticlerical and anti-Catholic provisions. Articles 3, 5, 24, 27, and 130 restricted the role of the Roman Catholic Church in Mexico, as well as other organised churches. Article 3 required that education in both public and private schools be completely secular and free of any religious instruction, prohibiting religions from participating in education. It also banned ministers or religious groups from aiding the poor, engaging in scientific research, and spreading their teachings. The 1917 Constitution also outlawed teaching by the Church, put all Church property at the disposal of the state, outlawed religious orders and foreign-born priests, deprived priests of the right to vote or hold office, prohibited Catholic organisations from commenting on public policy, and prohibited clergy from religious celebrations and from wearing clerical garb outside of church.
The anticlerical provisions of the 1917 Constitution were a consequence of the support given by Catholic church authorities to the dictatorship of Victoriano Huerta. However, anticlericalism had been a factor in Mexican politics since the Mexican War of Independence from the Spanish Empire (1810-1821), with frequent changes in government and eagerness to access the wealth of the Church. The Mexican Revolution was the costliest conflict in Mexican history, and the overthrow of dictator Porfirio Díaz caused political instability, with the Catholic Church coming to an informal modus vivendi with the Díaz government.
The anticlerical provisions of the 1917 Constitution led to the Cristero War (1926-1929), a widespread struggle in central and western Mexico in response to the strict enforcement of Article 130. The rebellion was tacitly supported by the Church hierarchy and aided by urban Catholic supporters. The conflict resulted in thousands of deaths on both sides, including many civilians. In 1934, Article 3 was amended to mandate socialist education, which was to "remove all religious doctrine", "combat fanaticism and prejudices", and build "a rational and exact concept of the universe and of social life" in youth. However, in 1946, socialist education was formally removed from the Constitution, and President Manuel Avila Camacho signalled an end to open hostility towards the Church.
In 1992, most of the anti-clerical provisions were removed from the Mexican Constitution, granting all religious groups legal status, conceding them property rights, and lifting restrictions on the number of priests in the country.
The Saudi Constitution: A Historical Signing
You may want to see also
The Mexican government is composed of three powers
The current Constitution of Mexico, formally the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States, was drafted in Santiago de Querétaro during the Mexican Revolution. It was approved by the Constituent Congress on 5 February 1917 and has been amended several times. The Constitution of 1917 is considered the legal triumph of the Mexican Revolution and the first such document in the world to set out social rights. It is the successor to the Constitution of 1857 and earlier Mexican constitutions.
The Constitution of 1917 is a comprehensive document that establishes the government, public service, and social welfare, with Mexico City as the capital. It outlines economic and political principles for the country, guaranteeing personal freedoms and civil liberties. It also includes significant social reforms to labor laws, providing for equality in treatment without discrimination based on race, creed, social or political condition, among other reforms.
The Judicial Power, one of the three powers of the Mexican government, is composed of the police and public servants who enforce the laws and impart justice, with all their actions guided by the Constitution. The Constitution, also known as the Magna Carta, has 136 articles and 19 transitory articles. It includes important provisions such as Articles 3, 27, and 123, which guarantee secular and free education, establish national ownership of subsoil resources, and outline a comprehensive system of social security, including labor rights and welfare programs.
The Constitution of 1917 is a culmination of the Mexican Revolution, reflecting the diverse and divergent revolutionary ideals in matters of land distribution, labor rights, secular and free education, and democratic renewal. It captures the long struggle of the Mexican nation to conform as a nation, establishing the division of powers and equality, with sovereignty resting in the people.
Who Signed the Constitution? William L. Pierce's Signature Explained
You may want to see also
Explore related products
$37.95 $37.95
The Constitution of 1917 was amended several times
The Constitution of 1917, also known as the "Political Constitution of the United Mexican States", has been amended several times since its ratification. It is the current constitution of Mexico and was approved by the Constituent Congress on February 5, 1917, reflecting the reforms made to the Constitution of 1857. The Constitution of 1917 is the result of the Mexican Revolution and includes articles that emerged from the ideals of this revolution.
The Constitution of 1917 is significant as it is the first document in the world to set out social rights. It also served as a model for other progressive constitutions, including the Weimar Constitution of 1919 and the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic Constitution of 1918. The document consists of 136 or 137 articles, depending on the source, and includes three essential articles: 3, 27, and 123.
Article 3 established the right to free, obligatory, and secular public education, free from clerical supervision, and secularized the Mexican state. It also prohibited ministers or religious groups from aiding the poor, engaging in scientific research, and spreading their teachings. Article 14 reaffirmed the sanctity of private property and contracts, while Article 27 interjected concepts of social utility and national benefit to limit the untrammeled use of private property. It also mandated that lands taken from the peasantry during the Porfiriato had to be returned, even without written titles.
Article 123, often referred to as the "Magna Carta of labour and social welfare", established an 8-hour workday, a 6-day workweek, a minimum wage, and equal pay for equal work. It gave both labor and capital the right to organize, and workers gained the right to bargain collectively and strike. In addition, Article 123 outlined a comprehensive system of social security, including public health and welfare programs.
The Constitution of 1917 has been amended multiple times to reflect the changing ideals and priorities of Mexican society. One notable example is the period from 1934 to 1946, when an amendment mandating socialist education was in effect. During this time, Article 3 was amended to mandate socialist education, which aimed to remove all religious doctrine, "combat fanaticism and prejudices", and build a "rational and exact concept of the universe and of social life" in youth. However, in 1946, socialist education was formally removed from the constitution, and it returned to generalized secular education.
Rufus King's Signature: A Founding Father's Legacy
You may want to see also
The Constitution of 1917 was a product of the Mexican Revolution
The Constitution of 1917, also known as the current Constitution of Mexico, was drafted in Santiago de Querétaro, in the State of Querétaro, Mexico. It was approved by the Constituent Congress on 5 February 1917 and has been amended several times since. The Constitution of 1917 is considered the legal triumph of the Mexican Revolution, incorporating the aspirations of the groups involved in the revolution.
The Mexican Revolution deeply affected everyone at the convention, and the document reflects their experiences. The Constitution of 1917 was drafted by 214 legislators and signed by 209 deputies. It incorporated the main revolutionary demands, including significant social reforms to labor laws, and provided for equality in treatment without discrimination on the basis of race, creed, social or political condition. It also ratified the principles of establishing a federal republic in the Mexican nation, the division of powers, and equality.
The Constitution of 1917 also addressed land distribution, guaranteeing workers' rights and mandating land reform. It gave the government the right to confiscate land from wealthy landowners and repurpose it for the public good. It also included the division of large haciendas into ejidos, held jointly by local entities and the nation. Additionally, it outlined a comprehensive system of social security, including public health and welfare programs.
The Constitution of 1917 also had a strong focus on education, guaranteeing the right to free, obligatory, and secular public education, free from clerical supervision. It established the Ministry of Public Education as one of the main institutions to ensure this right. This was a significant step towards secularism and away from the influence of the Roman Catholic Church, which had previously been re-established as the Official Church of State under Maximilian I. The Constitution of 1917 restricted the role of the Roman Catholic Church and other organized churches, prohibiting them from participating in education and limiting their rights in other areas.
Charles Pinckney's Signature on the US Constitution
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The Mexican Constitution of 1917 was signed by 209 deputies.
The Mexican Constitution of 1917 was the first document in the world to set out social rights. It was also the first to mandate a separation of Church and State.
The Constitution of 1917 provided for equality in treatment without discrimination on the basis of race, creed, social or political condition. It also provided for workers' rights, land reform, and free and compulsory secular public education.
![A History of Violence (The Criterion Collection) [4K UHD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71lqpbUFtWL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
