The 1830 Constitution of Ecuador was the first

constitution A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organisation or other type of Legal entity, entity and commonly determine how that entity is to be governed. When ...

governing the

Republic of Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ''Eku ...

. It was written by the 1830 Constituent Congress that met in the city of

Riobamba Riobamba (, full name San Pedro de Riobamba; Quechua: ''Rispampa'') is the capital of Chimborazo Province in central Ecuador, and is located in the Chambo River Valley of the Andes. It is south of Ecuador's capital Quito and located at an eleva ...

, which began their work on August 14 with the assistance of 20 deputies. The constitution was adopted on September 11, 1830, by the Constituent Congress, who in 45 days, in addition to the new constitution, also issued several new laws.

Background

After the disintegration of

Gran Colombia Gran Colombia (, "Great Colombia"), or Greater Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia (Spanish: ''República de Colombia''), was a state that encompassed much of northern South America and part of southern Central America from 1819 to 18 ...

, May 12, 1830, the ''Distrito del Sur'' (Southern District) formed a new nation under the name

. Under the Act of Quito of May 13, 1830, General

Juan José Flores Juan José Flores y Aramburu (19 July 1800 – 1 October 1864) was a Venezuelan-born military general who became the first (in 1830), third (in 1839) and fourth (in 1843) President of the new Republic of Ecuador. He is often referred to as "The ...

was named interim leader, with broad powers to organize the new state.Holguín Arias, Rubén. Estudios Sociales 6to. curso. Quito: Ediciones Holguín (2003), p. 15. On May 31, 1830, Flores in his capacity of ''Encargado del Mando Civil y Militar'' issued a decree convoking a Constituent Assembly, which was to meet on August 10, 1830, in Riobamba. However, because of organizational difficulties and problems with transport of deputies to Riobamba, the Constituent Congress began its work on August 14, with the assistance of 20 deputies.

The constitution contains a preamble and 75 articles, of which 73 are divided into nine titles. The remaining two articles are "transitory articles". There is also a final provision.

Background

Contents

References

See also