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Alternative meaning: Constitutional convention (political custom)
Constitutional convention (political custom)

Alternative meaning: Constitutional convention A constitutional convention is an informal and uncodified procedural agreement that is followed by the institutions of a state....
A constitutional convention is a gathering for the purpose of writing a new constitution
Constitution

A constitution is a system for government — often codified as a written document — that establishes the rules and principles of an autonomous political entity....
 or revising an existing constitution. A general constitutional convention is called to create the first constitution of a political unit or to entirely replace an existing constitution. An unlimited constitutional convention is called to revise an existing constitution to the extent that it deems to be proper, whereas a limited constitutional convention is restricted to revising only the areas of the current constitution named in the convention's call, the legal mandate establishing the convention.






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Alternative meaning: Constitutional convention (political custom)
Constitutional convention (political custom)

Alternative meaning: Constitutional convention A constitutional convention is an informal and uncodified procedural agreement that is followed by the institutions of a state....
A constitutional convention is a gathering for the purpose of writing a new constitution
Constitution

A constitution is a system for government — often codified as a written document — that establishes the rules and principles of an autonomous political entity....
 or revising an existing constitution. A general constitutional convention is called to create the first constitution of a political unit or to entirely replace an existing constitution. An unlimited constitutional convention is called to revise an existing constitution to the extent that it deems to be proper, whereas a limited constitutional convention is restricted to revising only the areas of the current constitution named in the convention's call, the legal mandate establishing the convention. In the case of the Philadelphia Convention
Philadelphia Convention

The Philadelphia Convention took place from May 25 to September 17, 1787, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to address problems in governing the United States of America, which had been operating under the Articles of Confederation following independence from Kingdom of Great Britain....
, delegates met for the "sole purpose of revising the Articles of Confederation
Articles of Confederation

The Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union was the constitution of the revolutionary wartime alliance of the thirteen United States. The Articles' ratification was completed in 1781, and legally federated several sovereign and independent states, allied under the Articles of Association into a new federation styled the "United States...
." George Washington
George Washington

George Washington was the leader of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War and served as the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States of the United States of Americas ....
 was elected president of this convention. Once the body convened, meeting and deliberations were conducted in secrecy with James Madison
James Madison

James Madison was an American politician and political philosopher who served as the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States , and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States....
 serving as recorder. It was rapidly decided that the body would ignore the limitations of its call and propose the replacement of the Articles with an entirely new basic instrument of government.

Examples of constitutional conventions include the:

United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
: Annapolis Convention (1786)
Annapolis Convention (1786)

The Annapolis Convention was a meeting at Annapolis, Maryland of 12 delegates from five U.S. states that called for a constitutional convention ....
, which proposed what became the Philadelphia Convention (1787) - Drafted the United States Constitution
United States Constitution

The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme law of the United States. It is the foundation and source of the legal authority underlying the existence of the United States of America; the Federal Government of the United States; and all the State & local governments and Territorial Administrative bodies contained therein....
 for ratification by the states. Article V
Article Five of the United States Constitution

Article Five of the United States Constitution describes the process whereby the Constitution may be altered. Such amendments may be proposed by the United States Congress or by a national Convention to propose amendment to U.S....
 of the constitution sets forth a mechanism whereby future constitutional conventions can be held. The constitution has been amended several times since the Philadelphia Convention, but never (as of 2009
2009

2009 is the current year of the Anno Domini/Common Era in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. It is a common year starting on Thursday and the last year of the 2000?2009 decade....
) by this method.
  • Missouri Constitutional Convention (1861-63)
    Missouri Constitutional Convention (1861-63)

    The Missouri Constitutional Convention was a Constitutional convention in the American Civil War that decided that Missouri stay in the Union and also evicted the elected governor to create a provisional government during the war....
    , established Missouri's provisional government during the American Civil War
    American Civil War

    The American Civil War , also known as the War Between the States and several Naming the American Civil War, was a civil war in the United States....
  • Canada
    Canada

    Canada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean....
    : (1864), Quebec Conference, 1864
    Quebec Conference, 1864

    The Quebec Conference was the second meeting held in 1864 to discuss Canadian Confederation.The 16 delegates from the Province of Canada, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island had agreed at the close of the Charlottetown Conference to meet again at Quebec City, Quebec in October 1864....
    , and London Conference of 1866
    London Conference of 1866

    The London Conference was held in the United Kingdom in December 1866 and was the final in a series of conferences that led to Canadian confederation in 1867....
     (1866).
  • Australian constitutional convention
    Constitutional Convention (Australia)

    In Australian history, the term Constitutional Convention refers to four distinct gatherings....
    s - 1891, 1897, 1973 and 1998.
  • Germany
    Germany

    Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands....
    : Parlamentarischer Rat
    Parlamentarischer Rat

    The Parlamentarischer Rat was a predecessor of the West German Bundestag. Its primary purpose was to prepare a new constitution for Germany. It was elected in 1948 and disassembled once it had finished its purpose, i.e....
     (Parliamentary Council) (1948) - Drafted the Basic Law of the Federal Republic for ratification by the Länder
    States of Germany

    Germany is a federation consisting of sixteen states, known in German language as L?nder . Since Land is the literal German word for "country", the term Bundesl?nder is commonly used colloquially, as it is more specific, though technically incorrect within the corpus of German law....
    .
  • Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention
    Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention

    The Northern Ireland Constitutional Convention was an elected body set up in 1975 by the Labour Party government of Harold Wilson as an attempt to deal with constitutional issues surrounding the status of Northern Ireland....
     (1975-1976) - a failed attempt to find a solution to the status of Northern Ireland
    Northern Ireland

    conventional_long_name = Northern Ireland|native_name= Tuaisceart ?ireannNorlin Airlann|motto =|image_map = Europe location N-IRL2.png...
    .
  • Scottish Constitutional Convention
    Scottish Constitutional Convention

    The Scottish Constitutional Convention was an association of Scotland political parties, churches and other civic groups, that developed a framework for a Scottish devolution....
     (1989) - produced a plan for Scottish
    Scotland

    conventional_long_name = ScotlandAlba|common_name= Scotland|image_flag = Flag of Scotland.svg|flag_width = 130px...
     devolution
    Devolution

    Devolution is the Statute granting of powers from the central government of a state to government at a subnational level, such as a regional, local, or state level....
    .
  • European Convention
    European Convention

    The European Convention, sometimes known as the Convention on the Future of Europe, was a body established by the European Council in December 2001 as a result of the List of European Councils#Laeken 2001....
     (2001) - Drafted the Constitution for Europe
    Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe

    The Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe , commonly referred to as the European Constitution, was an international treaty intended to create a constitution for the European Union....
     for approval by the European Council
    European Council

    The European Council is the highest political body of the European Union. It comprises the head of state head of government of the Union's European Union member state along with the President of the European Commission....
     and ratification by the member states.
  • Philippine Constitutional Convention
    Constitutional Convention (Philippines)

    Constitutional convention or ?con-con? is one of the three modes in which the "Constitution of the Philippines could be amended or revised. The other two modes are via People's Initiative or "PI" and Constituent Assembly or "Con-Ass"....
    • 1935 - to draft a constitution to create the autonomous Commonwealth of the Philippines
      Commonwealth of the Philippines

      The Commonwealth of the Philippines was the political designation of the Philippines from 1934 to 1946 when the country was a Commonwealth with the United States....
       under the U.S. Tydings-McDuffie Act
      Tydings-McDuffie Act

      The Tydings-McDuffie Act approved on March 24, 1934 was a United States federal law which provided for self-government of the Philippines and for Filipino independence after a period of ten years....
      . The constitution was also used in the 3rd Republic (1946) until the passage of the 1973 constitution. Members were elected through the Philippine Constitutional Convention election, 1934
      Philippine Constitutional Convention election, 1934

      In accordance to the Tydings-McDuffie Law, election of delegates to the 1934 Constitutional Convention was held on July 10, 1934....
    • 1971 - to draft a revised constitution to replace the old U.S. customed 1935 Philippine constititution. Members were elected through the Philippine Constitutional Convention election, 1970
      Philippine Constitutional Convention election, 1970

      The Constitutional convention of 1970 was called to change the existing Philippine Constitution which was made during the Commonwealth of the Philippines....
      . The system of government changed from Presidentitial to Parliamentary to Presidentital-Parliamentary (in 1984 amendment). The constitution lasted until the downfall of Ferdinand Marcos
      Ferdinand Marcos

      Ferdinand Emmanuel Edral?n Marcos was President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate ....
       in 1986 and Corazon Aquino
      Corazon Aquino

      Mar?a Coraz?n Cojuangco-Aquino , widely known as Cory Aquino, was the 11th President of the Philippines, serving from 1986 to 1992. She was the first female President of the Philippines and was Asia first female President....
       appointed members to draft the 1987 Constitution through a Constitutional Commission
      Constitutional Commission

      Many entities have been called a Constitutional Commission with the general purpose of reviewing a constitution, or planning to create one....
      .


Constitutional conventions have also been used by constituent states of federations — such as the individual state
U.S. state

A U.S. state is any one of the 50 state of the United States that share sovereignty with the federal government of the United States . Because of this shared sovereignty, an United States is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of Domicile ....
s of the United States
United States

The United States of America is a Federal government constitutional republic comprising U.S. state and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its Contiguous United States and Washington, D.C., the Capital districts and territories, lie between the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Oceans, Borders of the U...
 — to create, replace, or revise their own constitutions
State constitution (United States)

Every state in the United States possesses its own constitution. Historically, state constitutions have been longer than the 7,500 - word U.S. Constitution and more detailed regarding the day-to-day relationships between government and the people....
. Though the several states have never held a national constitutional convention for the purpose of proposing amendments, the 21st Amendment to the US Constitution was ratified not by the state legislatures, but by state level conventions after it was passed by Congress, as described as an alternate method of ratification in Article V of the US Constitution.

See also

  • Constituent assembly
    Constituent assembly

    A constituent assembly is a body composed for the purpose of drafting or adopting a constitution. As described by Columbia University Social Sciences Professor John Elster:...
  • Convention parliament
    Convention Parliament

    The term Convention Parliament has been applied to three different English Parliaments, of 1399, 1660 and 1689.The definition of the term convention parliament is generally taken to be:...
  • Constitutional commission
    Constitutional Commission

    Many entities have been called a Constitutional Commission with the general purpose of reviewing a constitution, or planning to create one....
  • Independence Convention
    Independence Convention

    The Independence Convention is a new umbrella grouping for supporters of Scottish independence, also known as Interim Forum for an Independence Convention ....
  • Article V convention