National Assembly of Armenia - History

History

Until the promulgation of the Hatt-i Sharif of 1839, the patriarch and his clients, within limits, possessed authority over Armenian people in the Ottoman Empire. The first step to Constitutional parliamentary activity still in the 19th century began with the Armenian National Constitution of 1860 in the Ottoman Empire. In line with this particular constitutional document Armenian National Assembly (Ottoman Empire) began to convene its sessions with 140 members. It dealt with the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire's domestic activity, as well as national, religious, educational, cultural and other issues.

In 1917 the February revolution caused great changes and sociopolitical shifts in the vast Russian Armenia. The first steps were undertaken towards democratization of the Democratic Republic of Armenia. National life awoke and national self-consciousness grew through Armenian National Councils which established the Armenian Congress of Eastern Armenians. At the initiative of the Armenian political parties mainly Armenian Revolutionary Federation, Armenian national congress was summoned in later September and earlier October 1917. The congress, held in Tiflis brought together 203 and declared the first Armenian Republic.