The American State Constitutional Tradition
Title | The American State Constitutional Tradition PDF eBook |
Author | John J. Dinan |
Publisher | University Press of Kansas |
Pages | 447 |
Release | 2006-04-14 |
Genre | Political Science |
ISBN | 0700616896 |
For too long, the American constitutional tradition has been defined solely by the U.S. Constitution drafted in 1787. Yet constitutional debates at the state level open a window on how Americans, in different places and at different times, have chosen to govern themselves. From New Hampshire in 1776 to Louisiana in 1992, state constitutional conventions have served not only as instruments of democracy but also as forums for revising federal principles and institutions. In The American State Constitutional Tradition, John Dinan shows that state constitutions are much more than mere echoes of the federal document. The first comprehensive study of all 114 state constitutional conventions for which there are recorded debates, his book shows that state constitutional debates in many ways better reflect the accumulated wisdom of American constitution-makers than do the more traditional studies of the federal constitution. Wielding extraordinary command over a mass of historical detail, Dinan clarifies the alternatives considered by state constitution makers and the reasons for the adoption or rejection of various governing principles and institutions. Among other things, he shows that the states are nearly universal in their rejection of the rigid federal model of the constitutional amendment process, favoring more flexible procedures for constitutional change; they often grant citizens greater direct participation in law-making; they have debated and at times rejected the value of bicameralism; and they have altered the veto powers of both the executive and judicial branches. Dinan also shows that, while the Founders favored a minimalist design and focused exclusively on protecting individuals from government action, state constitution makers have often adopted more detailed constitutions, sometimes specifying positive rights that depend on government action for their enforcement. Moreover, unlike the federal constitution, state constitutions often contain provisions dedicated to the formation of citizen character, ranging from compulsory schooling to the regulation of gambling or liquor. By integrating state constitution making with the federal constitutional tradition, this path-breaking work widens and deepens our understanding of the principles by which we've chosen to govern ourselves.
State Constitutional Conventions
Title | State Constitutional Conventions PDF eBook |
Author | Elmer E. Cornwell |
Publisher | Greenwood |
Pages | 250 |
Release | 1975 |
Genre | History |
ISBN |
The Debates and Proceedings of the Constitutional Convention of the State of Virginia
Title | The Debates and Proceedings of the Constitutional Convention of the State of Virginia PDF eBook |
Author | Virginia. Constitutional Convention |
Publisher | |
Pages | 768 |
Release | 1868 |
Genre | Constitutional conventions |
ISBN |
Report of the Debates in the Convention of California, on the Formation of the State Constitution, in September and October, 1849
Title | Report of the Debates in the Convention of California, on the Formation of the State Constitution, in September and October, 1849 PDF eBook |
Author | California. Constitutional Convention |
Publisher | |
Pages | 540 |
Release | 1850 |
Genre | California |
ISBN |
John Ross Browne (1817-1875) of Kentucky, the official reporter for the California State Constitutional Convention of September-October 1849, came to California in 1849 as an employee of the government revenue service. He traveled widely in the next two decades before settling down in Oakland. Report of the debates of the Convention of California (1850) comprises the official records of the convention. Browne had been a shorthand reporter for the U.S. Senate before coming west, and he provides transcripts of the proclamation calling the convention, proceedings of the convention, text of the state constitution adopted by the delegates, and official correspondence regarding the convention and the institution of state government under that constitution.
State Constitutional Conventions from Independence to the Completion of the Present Union, 1776-1959
Title | State Constitutional Conventions from Independence to the Completion of the Present Union, 1776-1959 PDF eBook |
Author | |
Publisher | |
Pages | 26 |
Release | 1972 |
Genre | Constitutional conventions |
ISBN |
The Convention Manual of Procedure, Forms and Rules for the Regulation of Business in the Sixth New York State Constitutional Convention, 1894
Title | The Convention Manual of Procedure, Forms and Rules for the Regulation of Business in the Sixth New York State Constitutional Convention, 1894 PDF eBook |
Author | New York (State). Constitutional Convention |
Publisher | |
Pages | 1432 |
Release | 1894 |
Genre | Constitutional conventions |
ISBN |
State Constitutional Conventions from Independence to the Completion of the Present Union, 1776-1959
Title | State Constitutional Conventions from Independence to the Completion of the Present Union, 1776-1959 PDF eBook |
Author | Cynthia E. Browne |
Publisher | Greenwood |
Pages | 288 |
Release | 1973 |
Genre | History |
ISBN | 9780837170053 |