See also Constitution

Noun

constitution (plural constitutions)

  1. The act, or process of setting something up, or establishing something; the composition or structure of such a thing; its makeup.
  2. The formal or informal system of primary principles and laws that regulates a government or other institutions.
  3. A legal document describing such a formal system.
  4. The general health of a person.
  5. A person's physique or temperament

Derived terms

Related terms

French

From Wiktionary under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Sat Sep 4 18:56:52 2010

A constitution is a set of laws that a set of people have made and agreed upon for government—often codified as a written document—that enumerates and limits the powers and functions of a political entity. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is. In the case of countries and autonomous regions of federal countries the term refers specifically to a constitution defining the fundamental political principles, and establishing the structure, procedures, powers and duties, of a government. By limiting the government's own reach, most constitutions guarantee certain rights to the people. The term constitution can be applied to any overall system of law that defines the functioning of a government, including several uncodified historical constitutions that existed before the development of modern codified constitutions.

Constitutions concern different levels of political organization. They exist at national (e.g., codified Indian Constitution, uncodified Constitution of the United Kingdom), regional (e.g., the Massachusetts Constitution), and sometimes lower levels. They also define many political and other groups, such as political parties, pressure groups, and trade unions. A supranational constitution is possible (e.g., proposed European Union constitution) but not always probable, depending on the structure of government to be laid out. The traditional absolute sovereignty of modern nations assumed in a constitution is often limited by binding international treaties such as the American Convention on Human Rights which binds the 24 American countries that have ratified it, and the European Convention on Human Rights which binds the 47 member countries of the Council of Europe.

Non-political entities such as corporations and voluntary associations, whether incorporated or not, often have what is effectively a constitution, often called memorandum and articles of association (U.S. incorporation).

The Constitution of India is the longest written constitution of any sovereign country in the world, containing 395 articles, 12 schedules and 94 amendments, with 117,369 words in its English language version, while the United States Constitution is the shortest written constitution.

From Wikipedia under the GNU Free Documentation License
Thu Sep 2 21:46:57 2010

Sudan Leader in Nairobi as Kenya Adopts Constitution Asharq ...
aawsat.com
Sudan Leader in Nairobi as Kenya Adopts Constitution Asharq ...

unknown

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:04:44 GM

NAIROBI, (AFP) Kenya formally adopted a new . constitution. Friday in a ceremony attended by several African leaders including Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir, despite being indicted for genocide and warcrimes. ...

From Google Blog Search: "constitution"
Sat Sep 4 15:42:48 2010

 Class 4 of 7, for Patriots of America
video.​google.​com
Class 4 of 7, for Patriots of America

Mon, 02 Apr 2007 19:06:53 PDT

put up for more conversion stuff...if possible, make a downloadable mp4 version please... video.google.co​m.

Ron Paul and the
youtube.com
Ron Paul and the

Sun, 20 May 2007 03:15:00 PDT

Ron Paul talks about the Constitution and his positions, this is part two of a Ron Paul series. youtube.com.

Child Protective Services: CPS & Police Abuse , Invading Homes, Kidnapping Children
youtube.com
Child Protective Services: CPS & Police Abuse , Invading Homes, Kidnapping Children

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 06:07:33 PDT

Child Protective Services can take your children too. CPS has come to believe they are above the law and the Constitution, that they do not need a ... youtube.com.

From Google Video Search: "constitution"
Sat Sep 4 15:42:48 2010

American Jihadist's haven may be US courtroom - eTaiwan News
etaiwannews.com
American Jihadist's haven may be US courtroom - eTaiwan News
Sat, 04 Sep 2010 16:09:14 GMT+00:00
eTaiwan News The US Constitution grants citizens certain rights including one so essential it shouldn't need repeating: officials can't take your life without first ... Lawsuit challenges Obama administration's targeted killing of US citizens World Socialist Web Site
Constitution Party Candidate on Ballot for Senate Seat - WVNS-TV
wvnstv.com
Constitution Party Candidate on Ballot for Senate Seat - WVNS-TV
Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:47:04 GMT+00:00
Party Candidate on Ballot for Senate Seat WVNS-TV Jeff Becker, of Inwood, Berkeley County, is running as a member of the Constitution Party, according to the West Virginia Secretary of State's Office. ... Constitution Party And GOP Continue Fight Over Nov. 2 Ballot Gapers Block (blog) Third-party candidate could roil Ill. ballot Politico

srilankawatch.com
"Constitution is not about an extension of power for me" - MR - Sri Lanka Watch (blog)
Sat, 04 Sep 2010 16:04:16 GMT+00:00
is not about an extension of power for me" - MR Sri Lanka Watch (blog) President Rajapakse said "Constitutional experts thought that it will not be possible to obtain a 2/3rd or even a simple majority under this constitution ...

From Google News Search: "constitution"
Sat Sep 4 15:42:48 2010

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Requirements for a free strong america

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Sable Man Apr 28 2008 1 56 PM EST Why can t smart people run this country

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What s In a Name The Naming of West Virginia First Constitution of West Virginia Front Page of a Certified Copy of the Constitution Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

From Yahoo Image Search: "constitution"
Sat Sep 4 15:42:48 2010

How does the constitution give the right to abortion?
Q. I've been researching abortion, how it became legalized and so forth, and I don't really understand how the constitution supports it. I know this is a sensitive topic and I'm hoping this won't get ugly. I'm just looking for someone to explain this in a way that I understand.
Asked by The Naughty Librarian - Fri Oct 5 16:57:34 2007 - - 12 Answers - 0 Comments

A. it guarantees the right to privacy in medicine, so that a woman can make decisions concerning her own body without the government interfering
Answered by renee - Fri Oct 5 17:16:45 2007

What opportunities does the constitution offer, and why are these important?
Q. I need to know the answer to this question for school, and can't find it anywhere. What are the opportunities offered in the constitution? And why are these opportunities important? Thanks!
Asked by smith123 - Tue Oct 6 09:57:12 2009 - - 1 Answers - 0 Comments

A. Look up the definition of opportunity and then relate that to the Constitution.
Answered by littlegogi - Tue Oct 6 10:12:19 2009

How and why has the Constitution been amended to extend and protect the right to vote?
Q. How and why has the Constitution been amended to extend and protect the right to vote? Thanks! :)
Asked by TheColorCute - Mon Dec 29 20:08:08 2008 - - 4 Answers - 0 Comments

A. The Constitution was amended more than once to extend voting rights. The Fifteenth Amendment was written to secure the voting rights of former slaves. Amendments 13-15 are referred to as the Reconstruction Amendments. All of these amendments were made to give former slaves the same rights as all other citizens. The 19th Amendment granted women the right to vote. The Twenty-fourth Amendment made it illegal to charge a poll tax to vote. Before then, the poll tax was used to prevent those who could not afford to pay (which were mostly Blacks) from voting. The Twenty-sixth Amendment changed voting age from 21 to 18. This was due to protests during the Vietnam War. The protesters asked why they were allowed to die in the war yet not… [cont.]
Answered by Billy Jean (who caused a scene) - Mon Dec 29 20:28:42 2008

From Yahoo Answer Search: "constitution"
Sat Sep 4 15:42:49 2010

  • A good constitution cannot alone make a nation’s happiness. A bad one can alone make its unhappiness.
    • (fr) Une bonne constitution ne peut suffire à faire le bonheur d’une nation. Une mauvaise peut suffire à faire son malheur.
    • Guy Carcassonne: La Constitution (6th ed.). Paris: Éditions du Seuil, p. 33
  • The problem in any constitutional change is the great care put to solve the problems of the past instead of grasping those of the future.
    • (fr) Le défaut inhérent à tout changement constitutionnel tient au grand soin mis à régler les problèmes du passé au lieu de saisir ceux de l’avenir.
    • Olivier Duhamel: Droit constitutionnel 2: Les Démocraties (3rd ed.). Paris: Éditions du Seuil, 2000, p. 105
  • A constitution, as Solon said, is good for a certain people and for a certain time. It shouldn’t be mummified.
    • (fr) Une constitution, comme disait Solon, est bonne pour un peuple et pour un temps. Il ne faut pas la momifier.
    • Charles de Gaulle, quoted in Alain Peyrefitte: C’était De Gaulle. Paris: Gallimard, 2002, p. 250
  • A constitution is made of a spirit, institutions, and a practice.
    • (fr) Une constitution, c’est un esprit, des institutions, une pratique.
    • Charles de Gaulle, Press Conference on 31 January 1964, Élysée Palace, Paris

From Wikiquote under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Fri Aug 27 01:50:17 2010