Government Act of 3 May 1791

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The Government Act of 3 May 1791 is the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth’s landmark constitution, widely regarded as one of the world’s first modern written national constitutions and a key reform effort to strengthen the state.

All labels observed (3)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (50)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth law
constitution
legal act
abolished liberum veto in most cases
adoptedBy Great Sejm
Sejm of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
affirmed Roman Catholicism as dominant religion
aimedTo curb the abuses of the liberum veto
improve governance efficiency
limit the power of the magnate oligarchy
reform the political system
strengthen the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
alsoKnownAs Constitution of 3 May 1791
May 3rd Constitution
Ustawa Rządowa z dnia 3 maja 1791 roku
commemoratedIn Lithuania
Poland
commemoratedOn 3 May Constitution Day
linked to: Constitution Day
considered a key reform effort of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
a landmark in European constitutionalism
one of the first modern written national constitutions
country Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
dateAdopted 1791-05-03
defined separation of powers
established Guardians of the Laws
extended political rights to burghers
followedBy Grodecki Sejm resolutions
governmentFormIntroduced constitutional monarchy
granted protection to peasants under state law
guaranteed religious tolerance to non-Catholics
headOfState hereditary monarch
historicalPeriod Enlightenment
influencedBy American Revolution
Enlightenment political thought
French Enlightenment
language Latin
Polish
limited powers of the king
powers of the nobility
locationAdopted Warsaw
maintained dominant position of the nobility
opposedBy Targowica Confederation
partOf reforms of the Great Sejm
precededBy Henrician Articles
Nihil novi act
reformed Sejm
executive branch
restricted political role of the clergy
underminedBy Polish–Russian War of 1792
Russian intervention

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (12)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Constitution of 3 May 1791 alsoKnownAs Government Act of 3 May 1791
Jan Matejko notableWork Constitution of 3 May 1791
linked to: Government Act of 3 May 1791
Third Partition of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth relatedEvent Constitution of 3 May 1791
linked to: Government Act of 3 May 1791
May 3rd Constitution alsoKnownAs Constitution of 3 May 1791
linked to: Government Act of 3 May 1791
Government Act of 3 May 1791 alsoKnownAs Constitution of 3 May 1791
linked to: Government Act of 3 May 1791
Government Act of 3 May 1791 alsoKnownAs Ustawa Rządowa z dnia 3 maja 1791 roku
linked to: Government Act of 3 May 1791
Guardians of the Laws createdBy Constitution of 3 May 1791
linked to: Government Act of 3 May 1791
Guardians of the Laws legalBasis Constitution of 3 May 1791
linked to: Government Act of 3 May 1791
Guardians of the Laws describedIn Constitution of 3 May 1791
linked to: Government Act of 3 May 1791
Targowica Confederation opposedDocument Constitution of 3 May 1791
linked to: Government Act of 3 May 1791
Second Partition of Poland precededBy Constitution of 3 May 1791
linked to: Government Act of 3 May 1791
Poland’s Constitution Day honorsDocument Constitution of 3 May 1791
linked to: Government Act of 3 May 1791