Since declaring independence in 1810, Mexico has adopted a number of constitutions or other documents of basic law with constitutional effects. Not all these can be considered constitutions, and not all of them enjoyed universal application. Those enacted in 1824, 1857, and 1917 are generally considered full-fledged, operational constitutions.
| Name | In force | Form of state | Legislature | Repeal | Observations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constitution of Apatzingan | Proposed 1814; never came into effect |
War of Independence | Congress of Anahuac | Death of Jose Maria Morelos | The Constitution of Apatzingan never actually entered into force. Almost a year after it was enacted, its proposer, José María Morelos y Pavón was imprisoned and was shot on December 22, 1815. |
| Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States of 1824 | 1824–1835, 1847–1857 | Federal Republic | Constituent Congress | On December 29, 1835 | This is considered the first official constitution of Mexico. On December 29, 1835 interim president José Justo Corro issued the Seven Constitutional Laws which replaced the Constitution. |
| Seven Constitutional Laws | 1836–1843 | Central Republic | Congress | On July 12, 1843 | Superseded when the Organic Bases were enacted, which granted dictatorial power to Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna |
| Organic Bases of the Mexican Republic | 1843–1847 | Central Republic | Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna | On August 22, 1846 | The organic bases were repealed during the Mexican-American War, and the 1824 Constitution restored. |
| Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States of 1857 | 1857–1917 | Federal Republic | Extraordinary Congress | On February 5, 1917 | This constitution is considered the second official constitution of Mexico. This constitution replaced the Constitution of 1824 on February 5, 1857, and added several new laws such as the Reform Laws. |
| Political Constitution of the United Mexican States | 1917–present | Federal Republic | Constituent Congress | Currently in force | This constitution is considered the third official constitution of Mexico. This constitution replaced the Constitution of 1857 as a result of the Mexican Revolution. This constitution has been amended numerous times. It is the longest-lasting constitution of Mexico. |
Famous quotes containing the words constitutions of and/or mexico:
“Whether our feet are compressed in iron shoes, our faces hidden with veils and masks; whether yoked with cows to draw the plow through its furrows, or classed with idiots, lunatics and criminals in the laws and constitutions of the State, the principle is the same; for the humiliations of the spirit are as real as the visible badges of servitude.”
—Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815–1902)
“I think New Mexico was the greatest experience from the outside world that I have ever had.”
—D.H. (David Herbert)