Constitution
Overview
 
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state
State (polity)
A state is an organized political community, living under a government. States may be sovereign and may enjoy a monopoly on the legal initiation of force and are not dependent on, or subject to any other power or state. Many states are federated states which participate in a federal union...

 or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is. When these principles are written down into a single or set of legal documents, those documents may be said to comprise a written constitution.

Constitutions concern different levels of organizations, from sovereign states to companies and unincorporated associations.
Timeline

1639    The "Fundamental Orders", the first written constitution that created a government, is adopted in Connecticut.

1791    The Constitution of May 3 (the first modern constitution in Europe) is proclaimed by the Sejm of Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.

1848    Carlo Alberto di Savoia signs the ''Statuto Albertino'' that will later represent the first constitution of the ''Regno d'Italia''

1849    Denmark becomes a constitutional monarchy by the signing of a new constitution.

1905    Czar Nicholas II of Russia grants Russia's first constitution, creating a legislative assembly.

1915    Denmark amends its constitution to allow women's suffrage.

1948    Edvard Beneš resigns as President of Czechoslovakia rather than signing a constitution making his nation a Communist state.

1958    France ratifies a new Constitution of France; the French Fifth Republic is then formed upon the formal adoption of the new constitution on October 4. Guinea rejects the new constitution, voting for independence instead.

1958    France ratifies a new Constitution of France; the French Fifth Republic is then formed upon the formal adoption of the new constitution on October 4. Guinea rejects the new constitution, voting for independence instead.

1962    Newly independent Algeria, by referendum, adopts a Constitution.

 
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