Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

E3052

The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the foundational legal charter of the U.S. state of Massachusetts, outlining its governmental structure, citizens’ rights, and guiding principles.

All labels observed (14)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf foundational charter
legal document
state constitution
adoptedBy Commonwealth of Massachusetts
linked to: Massachusetts
amendmentProcess amendable by constitutional amendment procedures
appliesTo Massachusetts
coAuthor James Bowdoin
Samuel Adams
contains Declaration of Rights
country United States
dateAdopted 1780-10-25
defines powers of the executive branch of Massachusetts
powers of the judicial branch of Massachusetts
powers of the legislative branch of Massachusetts
structure of the Massachusetts government
draftedBy James Bowdoin
John Adams
Samuel Adams
draftingStarted 1779
establishes Massachusetts General Court
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
office of the Governor of Massachusetts
governs Massachusetts state government
guarantees civil rights of Massachusetts citizens
freedom of religion in Massachusetts
freedom of the press in Massachusetts
right to trial by jury in Massachusetts
hasAmendments multiple constitutional amendments
hasPart Amendments
Part the First: A Declaration of the Rights of the Inhabitants of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Part the Second: The Frame of Government
Preamble
influenced United States Bill of Rights
linked to: Bill of Rights

other state constitutions
inForce true
isOneOf oldest functioning written constitutions in continuous effect
jurisdiction Commonwealth of Massachusetts
linked to: Massachusetts
language English
legalStatus supreme law of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
officialName Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
principalAuthor John Adams
providesFor checks and balances in Massachusetts government
separation of powers in Massachusetts
ratificationMethod popular ratification through town meetings
ratifiedBy constitutional convention
town meetings in Massachusetts
shortName Massachusetts Constitution
subjectOf constitutional law scholarship
tookEffectOn 1780-10-25

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (52)

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

Massachusetts General Court governingDocument Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
The Commonwealth relatedTo Commonwealth of Massachusetts Constitution
linked to: Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
The Commonwealth governingDocument Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Government of Massachusetts constitutionalDocument Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court interprets Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court hasAuthorityFrom Massachusetts Constitution
linked to: Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Thoughts on Government influenced Massachusetts Constitution
linked to: Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Thoughts on Government relatedWork Massachusetts Constitution of 1780
linked to: Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
President of the Massachusetts Senate officeCreatedBy Massachusetts Constitution
linked to: Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Massachusetts Governor's Council legalBasis Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives constitutionalBasis Massachusetts Constitution
linked to: Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts officialName Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts shortName Massachusetts Constitution
linked to: Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts hasPart Part the First: A Declaration of the Rights of the Inhabitants of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
linked to: Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Massachusetts General Laws relatedTo Massachusetts Constitution
linked to: Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Supreme Judicial Court interprets Massachusetts Declaration of Rights
subject linked to: SJC
linked to: Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Supreme Judicial Court authorityFrom Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
subject linked to: SJC
Massachusetts Senate constitutionalBasis Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Massachusetts state legislature legalBasis Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Massachusetts state legislature establishedBy Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Massachusetts House of Representatives establishedBy Massachusetts Constitution of 1780
linked to: Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Massachusetts House of Representatives constitutionalBasis Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Governor of Massachusetts constitutedBy Constitution of Massachusetts
linked to: Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts constitutionalBasis Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
subject linked to: Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts createdBy Massachusetts Constitution of 1780
subject linked to: Lieutenant Governor
linked to: Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Judiciary of Massachusetts constitutionalBasis Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
The Council hasConstitutionalBasisIn Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Declaration of Rights (Massachusetts) partOf Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
subject linked to: Declaration of Rights
Declaration of Rights (Massachusetts) location Preamble and Part the First of the Massachusetts Constitution
subject linked to: Declaration of Rights
linked to: Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Declaration of Rights (Massachusetts) hasPart Article I of the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights
subject linked to: Declaration of Rights
linked to: Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Declaration of Rights (Massachusetts) hasPart Article II of the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights
subject linked to: Declaration of Rights
linked to: Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Office of the Governor of Massachusetts authorizedBy Constitution of Massachusetts
linked to: Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Charter of the City of Newton conformsTo Massachusetts state constitution
linked to: Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts constitutingInstrument Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Massachusetts Superior Court appliesLaw Massachusetts Constitution
linked to: Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
American state constitutions earliestExamplesInclude Constitution of Massachusetts (1780)
linked to: Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Massachusetts Attorney General createdBy Massachusetts Constitution
linked to: Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Maine Constitution inspiredBy Massachusetts Constitution of 1780
linked to: Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Massachusetts State Representative authorityDerivedFrom Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Massachusetts Constitutional Convention of 1779–1780 hasEffect Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Treasurer and Receiver General of Massachusetts createdBy Constitution of Massachusetts
linked to: Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Treasurer and Receiver General of Massachusetts constitutionalBasis Massachusetts Constitution, Article XVII of the Amendments (and related provisions)
linked to: Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth constitutionalBasis Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Massachusetts law composedOf Massachusetts Constitution
linked to: Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Massachusetts law basedOn Massachusetts Constitution of 1780
linked to: Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Clerk of the Massachusetts Senate usesDocument Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts createdBy Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Massachusetts House and Senate districts covering Dennis governingLaw Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Massachusetts municipalities governedUnder Massachusetts Constitution
linked to: Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Massachusetts executive office secretaries legalBasis Massachusetts Constitution (executive branch provisions)
linked to: Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts