Pennsylvania’s Constitution: A Living Document Now Easily Tracked Through History
Pennsylvania’s Constitution, the supreme law of the Commonwealth, defines its government, the powers of its branches – executive, legislative, and judicial – and the rights of its citizens. But unlike the U.S. Constitution, which has seen only 27 amendments since its ratification, Pennsylvania’s foundational document is a constantly evolving entity.
Since its initial framing in 1776, pennsylvania has operated under five distinct constitutions, the product of seven constitutional conventions and a remarkable 113 amendments. This frequent revision,while reflecting the changing needs and values of the state,has historically made it challenging to follow the document’s growth over time.
Though, a new resource is aiming to change that. The University of Wisconsin Law School’s State Democracy Research Initiative has launched “50 constitutions,” a project dedicated to making state constitutions more accessible and understandable. This ongoing initiative provides a searchable database of constitutional text and powerful research tools.
The project’s key feature is its ability to track constitutional change. Users can now pinpoint exactly when and how specific provisions have been altered, comparing current language to past iterations. This functionality allows for a detailed examination of the Constitution’s evolution.Researchers and interested citizens can explore Pennsylvania’s Constitution in two ways. the “explore by provision” option presents a comprehensive outline of the document, allowing users to view the full text as it existed on any date since 1776 and directly compare amended sections to their original forms. Alternatively, the “explore by year” function offers a visual timeline, displaying the number of amendments enacted each year and providing ancient context for those changes.
The 50 constitutions Project is a freely available tool for anyone seeking to understand the history and current state of Pennsylvania’s governing document. For further research, the Jenkins Law Library also offers a comprehensive Pennsylvania Constitution research guide.
This new resource marks a significant step towards demystifying a vital, yet frequently enough overlooked, component of American governance – the state constitution.
