The Constitution of Pennsylvania is the supreme law within the

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

. All acts of the

General Assembly A general assembly or general meeting is a meeting of all the members of an organization or shareholders of a company. Specific examples of general assembly include: Churches * General Assembly (presbyterian church), the highest court of presby ...

, the

governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

, and each governmental agency are subordinate to it. Since 1776, Pennsylvania's Constitution has undergone five versions. The current Constitution

entered into force In law, coming into force or entry into force (also called commencement) is the process by which legislation, regulations, treaties and other legal instruments come to have legal force and effect. The term is closely related to the date of this t ...

in 1968, and has been amended numerous times. The Constitution may only be amended if a proposed modification receives a

majority vote A majority, also called a simple majority or absolute majority to distinguish it from related terms, is more than half of the total.Dictionary definitions of ''majority'' aMerriam-Webster electorate Electorate may refer to: * The people who are eligible to vote in an election, especially their number e.g. the term ''size of (the) electorate'' * The dominion of a Prince-elector in the Holy Roman Empire until 1806 * An electoral district An ...

. Emergency amendments are permitted by a vote of two-thirds of the General Assembly and an affirmative vote by the electorate within one month. In such emergency situations, commonwealth election officials are required to publish notice of the

referendum A referendum (plural: referendums or less commonly referenda) is a direct vote by the electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a representative. This may result in the adoption of a ...

on a proposed amendment in a minimum of two newspapers in every county. In an event that more than one emergency amendment is proposed, each additional amendment is to be voted on separately. Pennsylvania State Capitol House Chamber

Pennsylvania State Capitol House Chamber

The Constitution (1968, as amended)

The current Constitution of Pennsylvania comprises the following concise Preamble, and Articles and Schedules:

Preamble

Articles and Schedules

* Article I. Declaration of Rights * Article II. The Legislature * Article III. Legislation * Article IV. The Executive * Article V. The Judiciary * Article VI. Public Officers * Article VII. Elections * Article VIII. Taxation and Finance * Article IX. Local Government * Article X. Private Corporations * Article XI. Amendments * Schedule No. 1 (Adopted with the Constitution) * Schedule No. 2 (Amendments of November 2, 1909)

History

Pennsylvania has had five constitutions during its statehood:23 hi bill
''Law Weekly'' 324 (March 27, 2000). Jenkinslaw.org. Retrieved on December 31, 2011.

1776 Events January–February * January 1 – American Revolutionary War – Burning of Norfolk: The town of Norfolk, Virginia is destroyed, by the combined actions of the British Royal Navy and occupying Patriot forces. * January 1 ...

1790
an

Prior to that, the colonial

Province of Pennsylvania The Province of Pennsylvania, also known as the Pennsylvania Colony, was a British North American colony founded by William Penn after receiving a land grant from Charles II of England in 1681. The name Pennsylvania ("Penn's Woods") refers to W ...

was governed for a century by a book titled

Frame of Government 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 ...

, written by

William Penn William Penn ( – ) was an English writer and religious thinker belonging to the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, a North American colony of England. He was an early advocate of democracy a ...

, of which there were four versions: 1682, 1683, 1696, and 1701.23 Pennsylvania Law Weekly 324 (March 27, 2010
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The unicameral legislature established in 1776 was abolished in 1790 in favor of a bicameral legislature.

References

External links