Maryland Constitution of 1776 facts for kids
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The Maryland Constitution of 1776 was the very first set of rules for how the state of Maryland would be governed. It was like Maryland's first official playbook after it became independent from Great Britain. This important document guided Maryland from 1776 until a new constitution took its place in 1851.
Contents
Creating Maryland's First Constitution
Before the American Revolutionary War fully began, a group of powerful people in Maryland started meeting in Annapolis. They were preparing to create a new government for Maryland. They also sent representatives to the Continental Congress, which was the meeting of leaders from all the colonies.
These leaders decided that a temporary government wasn't enough. They needed a more lasting and organized way to run the state. So, on July 3, 1776, they decided to elect a new group of people. This new group would be in charge of writing Maryland's first state constitution. They wanted a government that belonged only to the people, not to the king or parliament.
On August 1, 1776, all free men who owned property got to vote for delegates to this special meeting. These delegates met on August 14, wrote the constitution, and finished on November 11. The people didn't vote on the document directly. Instead, the new state government, created by this constitution, took over. Thomas Johnson became Maryland's first elected governor under these new rules.
Important Rights for Citizens
The new constitution included a "Declaration of Rights." This part listed important freedoms for the people. For example, it ended the official support for the Church of England in Maryland. It also gave all Christians, including Roman Catholics, the freedom to worship as they chose. Free black men who owned property could still vote.
This declaration was more than just a list of rights. It clearly stated that all power came from the people. It also said that the government leaders were responsible to the people they governed.
How the Government Was Set Up
The 1776 constitution created the Maryland General Assembly, which is Maryland's law-making body. It had two parts: the Maryland House of Delegates and the Maryland State Senate. This is called a bicameral legislature.
The constitution also recognized the power of county governments to manage their own local matters. It called for separate treasurers and land record keepers for Maryland's Eastern and Western Shores. To change the constitution, new amendments had to be approved by two meetings of the House of Delegates in a row.
Who Could Vote and Hold Office
Even though the constitution said all power came from the people, only certain people could vote. When it was first adopted, about 20,000 out of Maryland's more than 300,000 residents could vote. Only men who owned a certain amount of property were allowed to cast a ballot.
Women and enslaved people could not vote. They also did not have the same rights as men. For a long time, only Christians could hold public office. This changed in 1826, when a new law allowed Jewish people to hold office and have equal rights with Christians.
Voters directly elected delegates to the Maryland General Assembly. However, they did not directly elect State Senators. Instead, voters chose "Senatorial Electors" every five years. These electors then met to choose the fifteen members of the Senate. Nine senators came from the Western Shore and six from the Eastern Shore. If a Senate spot became empty, the Senate itself chose a replacement.
The Governor was not elected by the people directly. Instead, the General Assembly chose the Governor. Most local government jobs were filled by the Governor, with approval from his special council.
Changes Over Time
The 1776 constitution was changed many times, about 66 times in total. A big change happened in 1837. This amendment allowed the people to directly elect the governor, instead of the legislature choosing him.
The constitution was originally about 8,800 words long. With all the changes between 1792 and 1846, it grew to about 15,200 words.
Free black men who owned property could vote until 1810. That year, the General Assembly changed the constitution. They changed the word "freemen" to "free white men" in the voting rules. This meant that free black men could no longer vote in Maryland.
