This document provides an overview of state constitutions and how they compare to the U.S. Constitution. It notes that state constitutions tend to be longer documents that provide more detailed policies, while the U.S. Constitution is shorter and more vague. The document also discusses how state constitutions have been amended more frequently than the U.S. Constitution and outlines some of the key differences in structure and amendment processes between state and federal constitutions.

1. PO 202
Spring 2017

3. Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Rhode Island,Vermont

4. INSTRUCTIONS
With your group, research and prepare a short report to the
class about their state’s constitution, being careful to note:
1) Bill of Rights or Declaration of Freedoms
2) Description of Legislative, Executive, Judicial Branches
3) Amendment Process
4) InterestingThings

7.  Constitutions establish:
 Structure of Government
 Powers of Institutions (Branches)
 Rules of Policy-Making
 Historic and Living Documents
 Impact on Citizen Attitudes

9.  What are constitutions?
 Codified Constitution
 Written document
 Specific sections or articles
 Uncodified Constitution
 Collection of laws, customs,
norms, traditions
 Informal nature

11.  #1: Definite
 #2: Comprehensive
 #3: Brief
 #4: Durable and Elastic
 #5: Fundamental Rights
 #6: Suitable

14. U.S. CONSTITUTION STATE CONSTITUTIONS
 Tenth Amendment
 Power to States and People
Grants limited authority to
Congress through exclusive powers.

16. U.S. CONSTITUTION
 Stable document
 Amended 27 times
STATE CONSTITUTIONS
 Replaced much more often

18. U.S. CONSTITUTION
 7, 400 words
 SevenArticles
STATE CONSTITUTIONS
 Average of 26,000 words
 One constitution is only
8, 565 words long, while
another is 376,000 words!

20. U.S. CONSTITUTION
 Vague document
 Influence of Framers
 Politicized System
 POTUSAuthority
 Judicial Involvement
STATE CONSTITUTIONS
 More detailed
 Focus on specific policies
TheTexas
Constitution
in 1876
provided for
homestead
grants for
individiduals
and families.

22. U.S. CONSTITUTION
 “Tyranny of the Majority”
 Creation of Representative
Democracy
 Example: U.S. Senators
STATE CONSTITUTIONS
 Progressive Era
 Promotion of Direct
Democracy

24. U.S. CONSTITUTION
 Current U.S. National Debt
STATE CONSTITUTIONS
 49 of 50 states require
balanced budgets (VT)
 Topic of discussion in State
of State Addresses

26.  Granted to colonies by English Kings
 What is a constitution?
 What happens after colonial independence?
The Massachusetts State
Constitution is the oldest
functional written constitution
in the modern world.

27.  Concentration of Power in Legislatures
 Initial Limited Gubernatorial Power
 Elected by State Legislature
 SingleTerm in Office
 Increase in Gubernatorial Power
 Changing Society and Legislative Failings
 LongerTerms in Office
 Ability toVeto Legislation
 Ability of Succession—Institutional Knowledge

28. The Civil war saw massive
constitutional change at the
subnational level.
Constitutions were replaced by
Confederate states then revised
for readmittance into the Union.

29.  Reformers promoted many changes
Seventeenth
Amendment
Eighteenth
Amendment
Nineteenth
Amendment

31.  Four MainVersions
 Follows U.S. Constitution with
influences from OH, IN, and KY
 Article XIV and Constitutional
Convention

33.  #1: Legislative Proposals
 #2: Initiatives and Referendums
 #3: Constitutional Conventions
 #4: Constitutional Commissions

35. ADVANTAGES
 Responsiveness and
Accountability
 Concerns to Public
 Encourages Policy Debates
 StimulatesVoter Interest
 IncreasesTrust in
Govenrment
DISADVANTAGES
 “Tyranny of the Majority”
 Unwise Policies
 Voters Lack Knowledge
 No Alternative Policies or
Amendments
 General Distrust