Superficially the current Texas Constitution looks the same as the 1876 version. It contains all but one of the original articles - the one written to resolve disputes over land ownership - but the nature of many of these articles has changed. Some substantively.
Below I'll walk through these changes.
Doing so allows us to understand how Texas has changed over the past 150 years, and how governance has changed along with it. It has shifted from an agrarian / rural state, to a highly industrialized, urban state with a significant service sector. This shift has required a shift in how state government works.
The information for this section has been pulled largely from the following sources:
- From The Tarlton Law Library: The original version of the 1876 Constitution.
- From Texas Legislature Online: The current version of the Texas Constitution.
- Texas Constitution: ARTICLE 17. MODE OF AMENDING THE CONSTITUTION.
- Legislative Reference Library of Texas: Constitutional Amendments.
- Texas Legislative Council: Amendments to the Texas Constitution Since 1876.
Article One:
Article Two:
Article Three:
Article Four:
Article Five:
Article Six:
Article Seven:
Article Eight:
Article Nine:
Article Ten:
Article Eleven:
Article Twelve:
Article Thirteen:
Article Fourteen:
Article Fifteen:
Article Sixteen:
Article Seventeen:
