5.19

****Standard 5.20>** media type="custom" key="29532119" align="right" = = =Identify the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, including its date, its primary author (John Adams), and the basic rights it gives to citizens of the Commonwealth. =

//**Focus Question: What is the historical importance of the Massachusetts Constitution, who was it primary author, and what basic rights does it guarantee citizens?**//

 * [[image:rotating gif.gif width="43" height="43"]]See also United States History I.5 and United States Government.3.11 **

[[image:400px-Boston_Old_State_House.jpg width="328" height="459" align="right" caption="The Old Massachusetts State House"]]

 * [|Massachusetts Body of Liberties] (1641)
 * [|Massachusetts Constitution of 1780]


 * The Massachusetts Constitution of 1780 is considered one of the key founding documents of American democracy. Largely credited to John Adams, the future second President, the Constitution served as a model for the federal Constitution.


 * Contrary to other states constitutions at the time, the Massachusetts Constitution was broken up into section (a model replicated in the federal constitution).

*In Section I, the framers wrote “All men are born free and equal, and have certain natural, essential, and unalienable rights; among which may be reckoned the right of enjoying and defending their lives and liberties; that of acquiring, possessing, and protecting property; in fine, that of seeking and obtaining their safety and happiness” This call for constitutional universality helped put an end to slavery in the Commonwealth. In the //Brom and Brett vs. Ashley// decision in 1781, a jury of Massachusetts citizens concluded that slavery was unconstitutional effectively ending slavery in the Commonwealth.

 *In another fascinating feature, the Massachusetts Constitution allows the governor and the legislature to request an advisory opinion from the State Supreme Court (to interpret the constitutionality of a given topic/article).


 * The Massachusetts Constitution was structured around a two house system. The House of Representatives were representative of the towns and the Senate was representative of the counties.


 * It also had clear definitions of what constituted a voter. Adult males who owned property valued at a minimum of 60 pounds were eligible to vote.

*Currently, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the only one of the original states to retain its first constitution**.**


 * Also, the Massachusetts Constitution holds the honor of being the oldest constitution still in use in the world.

[|Click here] to read more about John Adams and the Massachusetts Constitution.

To watch a short video on the importance and history of the Massachusetts Constitution [|click here].

For more on John Adams, see Grade 5.18