Author:
Kris Seago
Subject:
Political Science
Material Type:
Full Course
Level:
Community College / Lower Division
Tags:
License:
Creative Commons Attribution
Language:
English
Media Formats:
Text/HTML

Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States (1824)

Overview

Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States (1824)

Learning Objective

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

  • Understand the Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States (1824)’s role in Texas history

Introduction

This section discusses the Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States (1824)’s role in Texas history.

Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States of 1824

This section discusses the Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States (1824)
Figure 2.3 The Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States of 1824 (Constitución Federal de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos de 1824) was enacted on October 4 of 1824, after the overthrow of the Mexican Empire of Agustin de Iturbide. Image credit: Public Domain.

Constitutional government in Texas began with the Mexican Federal Constitution of 1824, which, to some degree, was patterned after the United States Constitution but resembled more the Spanish Constitution of 1812.

Congress was made the final interpreter of the document; the Catholic religion was made the state faith; and the church was supported by the public treasury. The president and vice president were elected for four-year terms by the legislative bodies of the states, the lower house of Congress to elect in case of a tie or lack of a majority. There were numerous limitations on the powers of  the president. The Congress was composed of two houses meeting annually from January 1 to April 15. The president could prolong the regular session for an additional thirty days and could call extra sessions. Deputies in the lower house served two years, while senators were selected by their state legislatures for four- year terms. The judicial power was vested in a Supreme Court and superior courts of departments and districts. The Supreme Court was composed of eleven judges and the attorney general. There was no particular effort to define the rights of the states in the confederacy. They were required to separate executive, legislative, and judicial functions in their individual constitutions, which were to be in harmony with the national constitution, but local affairs were independent of the general government.

 

Map of Mexico by political division in 1824
Figure 2.4 Political divisions of independent México in 1824, in the present- day U.S. and México. Image credit: © Giggette / Wikimedia Commons, License: CC BY- SA 3.0

Licenses and Attribution

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Revision and Adaptation. Authored by: Kris S. Seago. License: CC BY: Attribution