Constitution facts for kids
A constitution is a very important document for a country or state. Think of it as a rulebook for how the government should run. It explains how a country's leaders are chosen and how long they can stay in office.
This special law also describes how new laws are made and how old ones can be changed. It tells you who can vote and what rights citizens have. A constitution also explains how it can be updated itself.
Contents
Understanding Government Power and Rules
A constitution sets limits on how much power the government has. This idea is called the Rule of Law. It means everyone, including leaders, must follow the law.
However, some countries with unfair governments might not follow their constitutions. They might even have bad constitutions that do not give citizens freedom. This can lead to a dictatorship, where one person or a small group has all the power. A constitution often helps different parts of a country work together, especially in a Federation.
The United Kingdom's Unique Constitution
The UK has a very special constitution. It is not written in just one document like many other countries. In fact, parts of it are not written down at all!
Some written parts include the Magna Carta from 1215 and the Bill of Rights Act 1689. More modern parts are found in Acts of Parliament. Other parts come from common law. This means they are based on decisions made by judges over hundreds of years. This system is called judicial precedence. Because of this, some people say the UK has an "unwritten" constitution.
The United States Constitution
The United States started a new trend in 1787 by writing its constitution. The United States Constitution is one of the shortest still being used today. It has been changed many times over the years.
This constitution was created after the American colonists won their independence from Britain. They first had a document called the Articles of Confederation. But this was later replaced by today's Constitution.
The World's Longest Constitution
The Indian constitution, written in 1950, is the longest constitution ever. It has 448 Articles and 12 Schedules. It also includes 5 appendices and has been changed 98 times.
Related pages
- Constitutionalism
- Constitutional economics
- Democracy
- International law
- Jurisprudence
- Rule of law
- Social contract
- US Constitution
Images for kids
-
Constitution of the Year XII (First French Republic)
-
Constitution of the Kingdom of Naples in 1848.
-
Diagram illustrating the classification of constitutions by Aristotle.
-
Third volume of the compilation of Catalan Constitutions of 1585
-
A painting depicting George Washington at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 signing of the U.S. Constitution
-
Constitution of May 3, 1791 (painting by Jan Matejko, 1891). Polish King Stanisław August (left, in regal ermine-trimmed cloak), enters St. John's Cathedral, where Sejm deputies will swear to uphold the new Constitution; in background, Warsaw's Royal Castle, where the Constitution has just been adopted.
-
Presidential copy of the Russian Constitution.
.jpg)
See also
In Spanish: Constitución para niños
