Massachusetts Constitutional Convention of 1779–1780

E146114

The Massachusetts Constitutional Convention of 1779–1780 was the assembly of elected delegates that framed Massachusetts’ first state constitution, a pioneering model of republican government and civil liberties in the early United States.

All labels observed (1)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (47)

Predicate Object
instanceOf constitutional convention
political event
aim to frame a permanent constitution for Massachusetts
appliesToJurisdiction Massachusetts
surface form: Commonwealth of Massachusetts
chronologyWithinTopic precedes drafting of the United States Constitution of 1787
convenedBy Massachusetts General Court
country United States of America
describedAs early model of civil liberties protections in the United States
pioneering model of republican government
endTime 1780
follows rejection of the 1778 proposed Massachusetts constitution
hasEffect Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
adoption of a declaration of rights for Massachusetts
adoption of a written state constitution by popular ratification
creation of a bicameral legislature in Massachusetts
creation of an elected governor with a fixed term
establishment of an independent judicial branch in Massachusetts
hasPart drafting committee led by John Adams
public debate on the proposed constitution
town-by-town ratification process
hasParticipant Elbridge Gerry
James Bowdoin
John Adams
John Hancock
Samuel Adams
elected delegates from Massachusetts towns
influenced United States constitutional thought
later United States state constitutions
influencedBy American Revolutionary ideology
Enlightenment political thought
languageOfWorkOrName English
legalForm extra-legislative constituent assembly
locatedIn Boston, Massachusetts
surface form: Boston

Massachusetts
mainSubject checks and balances
civil liberties
governor’s executive powers
independent judiciary
popular sovereignty
religious establishment and toleration
republican government
separation of powers
structure of the state legislature
ratificationMethod popular vote via town meetings
significantEvent framing of the first Massachusetts state constitution
startTime 1779
timePeriod American Revolutionary era

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Declaration of Rights draftedBy Massachusetts Constitutional Convention of 1779–1780
subject surface form: Declaration of Rights (Massachusetts)