Constitution of 1866 (Texas)

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The Constitution of 1866 (Texas) was the post–Civil War state constitution adopted during Reconstruction that attempted to restore Texas to the Union while making only limited changes to its prewar legal and social order.


Statements (48)
Predicate Object
instanceOf historical document
state constitution
adoptedBy Texas constitutional convention of 1866
adoptionDateApproximate 1866-03
adoptionYear 1866
appliesToJurisdiction State of Texas
characteristic made only limited changes to prewar legal and social order
sought rapid readmission of Texas with minimal social change
containsProvision abolition of slavery in Texas
black testimony allowed only in cases involving Black people
denial of civil and political equality to formerly enslaved people
limited rights for freedmen without granting suffrage
reestablishment of prewar county and local government structures
repudiation of Confederate war debt
repudiation of secession ordinance
country United States of America
definesCitizenshipFor residents of Texas in 1866
followedBy Texas Constitution of 1869
follows Texas Constitution of 1845
followsEvent American Civil War
Texas secession from the United States
hasEffectOn civil rights of freedpeople in Texas
postwar political power of former Confederates in Texas
readmission process of Texas to the Union
historicalPeriod Presidential Reconstruction
language English
legalStatus superseded
legalSystem Texas law
legislativeBody Texas constitutional convention of 1866
locationOfDrafting Austin, Texas NERFINISHED
partOf Reconstruction era
politicalOrientation conservative
purpose reestablish civil government in Texas under postwar conditions
restore Texas to the Union after the Civil War
reasonForRejection failure to provide civil and political equality for freedpeople
regulates judicial system of Texas
legislative branch of Texas
powers of the governor of Texas
structure of Texas state government
rejectedBy Radical Republicans in the U.S. Congress
relatedTo Texas Black Codes
repealedBy Reconstruction Acts of Congress
subjectHasRole Texas judiciary
Texas legislature
governor of Texas
supersededBy Texas Constitution of 1869
temporalCoverageEnd 1869
temporalCoverageStart 1866

Referenced by (3)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
Texas Constitution
Texas Constitution ("Constitution of 1869 (Texas)")
predecessor
Constitution of 1866 (Texas) ("Texas constitutional convention of 1866")
adoptedBy

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