What is the longest constitution?
Asked by: Alfonzo Torphy | Last update: April 25, 2026Score: 4.1/5 (62 votes)
The Constitution of India is the longest written constitution for a sovereign nation, containing detailed provisions for its vast and diverse country, while the Constitution of Alabama (USA) holds the record for the longest overall written constitution, including state-level documents, with hundreds of thousands of words and numerous amendments. India's constitution, initially over 140,000 words, details government structure, rights, and duties, whereas Alabama's is known for its extreme length due to extensive amendments over time, making it longer than even the Indian national constitution.
Which constitution is the longest?
The Constitution of India is the longest written constitution of any country in the world, with 146,385 words in its English-language version, while the Constitution of Monaco is the shortest written constitution with 3,814 words.
What is the longest lasting constitution?
Written in 1787, ratified in 1788, and in operation since 1789, the United States Constitution is the world's longest surviving written charter of government. Its first three words—"We the People"—affirm that the government of the United States exists to serve its citizens.
Why is Alabama's constitution so long?
Following its adoption by statewide vote in November 1901, the constitution rapidly grew in length as local measures were added as amendments. By 2009, the Alabama Constitution had been amended more than 700 times and was 40 times longer than the U.S. Constitution.
What is the longest section of the U.S. Constitution?
Article I is the longest part of the Constitution. That's because the Founding generation thought that Congress would be the most powerful—and most dangerous—branch of government.
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What is only 52 words long in the Constitution?
The preamble is an introduction to the highest law of the land; it is not the law. It does not define government powers or individual rights. Establish Justice is the first of five objectives outlined in the 52-word paragraph that the Framers drafted in six weeks during the hot Philadelphia summer of 1787.
Is the Texas Constitution the longest?
The constitution is the second-longest state constitution in the United States (exceeded only by the Constitution of Alabama) and is also the third-most amended state constitution (only the Alabama and California constitutions have been amended more often).
Which US state has the longest constitution?
On average, state constitutions are more than nine times longer than the U.S. Constitution. Every single state constitution is longer than the U.S. Constitution, which consists of 4,543 words. Alabama has the longest constitution, by far, with approximately 373,000 words — longer than most Stephen King's novels.
Did Alabama not allow interracial marriage until 2000?
On this day in 1901, Alabama adopted a new state constitution that prohibited interracial marriage and mandated separate schools for Black and white children. Learn more about our history of racial injustice. And it wasn't until the year 2000 that the ban on interracial marriage was finally overturned!
What happened in 1819 in Alabama?
Here, on July 5, 1819 forty-four delegates from twenty-two Counties in the Alabama Territory met to frame a State Constitution which was accepted and signed August 2, 1819.
Which is the no. 1 constitution in the world?
The Constitution of India, adopted on 26 November 1949 and enforced from 26 January 1950, stands as the world's longest written constitution.
Did the founding fathers put God in the Constitution?
After the Constitutional Convention in 1787, when Alexander Hamilton was asked why God had not been mentioned in the Constitution, he reportedly quipped, "We forgot." True! The story of Hamilton's famous quip may be apocryphal, but the Founders really didn't mention God in our country's charter.
Can you see the real constitution?
The Constitution's home is the National Archives, where it is held in trust for the American people and preserved for future generations to see in the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom. Download a high-resolution version of this document from the National Archives' Online Public Access Database.
Why is part 7 removed?
Ans. Part 7 dealt with Part-B states. After the 7th Constitutional Amendment, 1956, Part-B states were merged with others, making this part redundant, so it was repealed.
What is the oldest Constitution still in use?
Oldest Constitutions Still Being Used Today
- San Marino (October, 1600)
- United States (June, 1788) ...
- The Netherlands (March, 1814) ...
- Norway (May, 1814) ...
- Belgium (February, 1831) ...
- Denmark (June, 1849) ...
- Argentina (May, 1853) ...
- Luxembourg (October, 1868) ...
Who has the shortest Constitution in the world?
🇲🇨 Monaco's Constitution is the world's shortest: 3,814 words. It has been amended once. 🇮🇳 India's Constitution is the world's longest: 146,385 words.
Was it illegal to marry a Chinese woman in 1923?
1923. Miscegenation laws rendered interracial marriage illegal across much of the United States. While most states enacted such legislation, the specific restrictions varied by region.
Can two females get married in Alabama?
Same-sex marriage has been legal in Alabama since June 26, 2015, in accordance with the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges.
What state has the highest interracial marriages?
The highest proportions of non-Hispanic White / non-Hispanic Asian married couple households are concentrated in counties in Hawaii and California. Hawaii has a long history of intermarriage among many different groups.
What is the longest legal document in the world?
India's constitution is the longest in the world. The Indian constitution is neither typed nor printed. It is a handwritten document consisting of 46 articles, 12 schedules and 94 amendments with 145,000 words. It took very long time to frame, which was for two years, 11 months and 17 days.
Which U.S. state has the oldest constitution?
The 1780 Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, drafted by John Adams, is the world's oldest functioning written constitution. It served as a model for the United States Constitution, which was written in 1787 and became effective in 1789.
What are the drawbacks of a long constitution?
Countries with longer constitutions also tend to have lower levels of GDP per capita and higher corruption.
Which is the best written constitution in the world?
India's Constitution is the longest written constitution in the world— a remarkable document that embodies the vision of our great nation's founding architects. Its depth, inclusivity, and democratic spirit stand as a testament to the ideals that unite us.
Which state has the shortest state constitution?
The shortest is the Constitution of Vermont, adopted in 1793 and currently 8,295 words long.
How many constitutions does the United States have?
I want to briefly describe the three American “constitutions”: first, the actual written Constitution, ratified in 1787 and amended just 27 times over 234 years; second, what might be called the “small-c” constitution, the set of norms, habits and procedures that are not enumerated in the written Constitution but have ...