Government Act of 3 May 1791

E304487

The Government Act of 3 May 1791 is the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth’s landmark constitution, widely regarded as one of the world’s first modern written national constitutions and a key reform effort to strengthen the state.

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Statements (50)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth law
constitution
legal act
abolished liberum veto in most cases
adoptedBy Sejm of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
surface form: Great Sejm

Sejm of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
affirmed Roman Catholicism as dominant religion
aimedTo curb the abuses of the liberum veto
improve governance efficiency
limit the power of the magnate oligarchy
reform the political system
strengthen the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
alsoKnownAs Government Act of 3 May 1791
surface form: Constitution of 3 May 1791

May 3rd Constitution
Government Act of 3 May 1791
surface form: Ustawa Rządowa z dnia 3 maja 1791 roku
commemoratedIn Lithuania
Poland
commemoratedOn Constitution Day
surface form: 3 May Constitution Day
considered a key reform effort of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
a landmark in European constitutionalism
one of the first modern written national constitutions
country Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
dateAdopted 1791-05-03
defined separation of powers
established Guardians of the Laws
extended political rights to burghers
followedBy Grodecki Sejm resolutions
governmentFormIntroduced constitutional monarchy
granted protection to peasants under state law
guaranteed religious tolerance to non-Catholics
headOfState hereditary monarch
historicalPeriod Age of Enlightenment
surface form: Enlightenment
influencedBy American Revolutionary era
surface form: American Revolution

Enlightenment political thought
French Enlightenment
language Latin
Polish
limited powers of the king
powers of the nobility
locationAdopted Warsaw
maintained dominant position of the nobility
opposedBy Targowica Confederation
partOf reforms of the Great Sejm
precededBy Henrician Articles
Nihil novi act
reformed Sejm
executive branch
restricted political role of the clergy
underminedBy Polish–Russian War (1792)
surface form: Polish–Russian War of 1792

Russian intervention

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Referenced by (12)

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

Constitution of 3 May 1791 (adopted by the Four-Year Sejm) alsoKnownAs Government Act of 3 May 1791
subject surface form: Constitution of 3 May 1791
Jan Matejko notableWork Government Act of 3 May 1791
this entity surface form: Constitution of 3 May 1791
Third Partition of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth relatedEvent Government Act of 3 May 1791
this entity surface form: Constitution of 3 May 1791
May 3rd Constitution alsoKnownAs Government Act of 3 May 1791
this entity surface form: Constitution of 3 May 1791
Government Act of 3 May 1791 alsoKnownAs Government Act of 3 May 1791
this entity surface form: Constitution of 3 May 1791
Government Act of 3 May 1791 alsoKnownAs Government Act of 3 May 1791
this entity surface form: Ustawa Rządowa z dnia 3 maja 1791 roku
Guardians of the Laws (executive council) createdBy Government Act of 3 May 1791
subject surface form: Guardians of the Laws
this entity surface form: Constitution of 3 May 1791
Guardians of the Laws (executive council) legalBasis Government Act of 3 May 1791
subject surface form: Guardians of the Laws
this entity surface form: Constitution of 3 May 1791
Guardians of the Laws (executive council) describedIn Government Act of 3 May 1791
subject surface form: Guardians of the Laws
this entity surface form: Constitution of 3 May 1791
Targowica Confederation opposedDocument Government Act of 3 May 1791
this entity surface form: Constitution of 3 May 1791
Second Partition of Poland precededBy Government Act of 3 May 1791
this entity surface form: Constitution of 3 May 1791
Poland’s Constitution Day honorsDocument Government Act of 3 May 1791
this entity surface form: Constitution of 3 May 1791