Do you know what’s in your State’s Preamble?
You may be surprised.
The spiritual legacy of our nation is evident in the preambles—or in some cases the first chapter, part, or article—to each of the 50 U.S. state constitutions:
Alabama, 1865, Preamble: We, the People of the State of Alabama…invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish the following conclusion…
Alaska, 1959, Preamble: We the people of Alaska, grateful to God and to those who founded our nation and pioneered this great land…do ordain and establish this constitution for the State of Alaska.
Arizona, 1911, Preamble: We, the people of the State of Arizona, grateful to Almighty God for our liberties, do ordain this Constitution.
Arkansas, 1874, Preamble: We, the people of the State of Arkansas, grateful to Almighty God for the privilege of choosing our own form of government, for our civil and religious liberty…do ordain and establish this Constitution.
California, 1849, Preamble: We, the people of California, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom in order to secure its blessings, do establish this Constitution.
Colorado, 1876, Preamble: We, the people of Colorado, with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of the Universe…do ordain and establish this constitution for the “State of Colorado”.
Connecticut, 1818, Preamble: The People of Connecticut acknowledging with gratitude, the good providence of God, in having permitted them to enjoy a free government; do…ordain and establish the following constitution and form of civil government.
Delaware, 1897, Preamble: Through Divine goodness, all men have by nature the rights of worshiping and serving their Creator according to the dictates of their consciences….
Florida, 1885, Preamble: We, the people of the State of Florida, being grateful to Almighty God for our constitutional liberty…do ordain and establish this constitution.
Georgia, 1777, Preamble: …we the people of Georgia, relying upon the protection and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish this Constitution.
Hawaii, 1959, Preamble: We, the people of Hawaii, grateful for Divine Guidance…do hereby ordain and establish this constitution for the State of Hawaii.
Idaho, 1890, Preamble: We, the people of the State of Idaho, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings and promote our common welfare do establish this Constitution.
Illinois, 1848 Preamble: We, the People of the State of Illinois-grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberty which He has permitted us to enjoy and seeking His blessing upon our endeavors…do ordain and establish this Constitution for the State of Illinois.
Indiana, 1851, Preamble: …We, the People of the State of Indiana, grateful to Almighty God for the free exercise of the right to choose our own form of government, do ordain this Constitution.
Iowa, 1846, Preamble: We, the People of the State of Iowa, grateful to the Supreme Being for the blessings hitherto enjoyed, and feeling our dependence on Him for a continuance of those blessings, do ordain and establish a free and independent government….
Kansas, 1859, Preamble: We, the people of Kansas, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious privileges, in order to insure the full enjoyment of our rights as American citizens, do ordain and establish this constitution of the state of Kansas….
Kentucky, 1792, Preamble: We, the people of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties we enjoy, and invoking the continuance of these blessings, do ordain and establish this Constitution.
Louisiana, 1921, Preamble: We, the people of Louisiana, grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political, economic, and religious liberties we enjoy…do ordain and establish this constitution.
Maine, 1819, Preamble: We the people of Maine…acknowledging with grateful hearts the goodness of the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe in affording us an opportunity, so favorable to the design; and, imploring God’s aid and direction in its accomplishment, do agree to form ourselves into a free and independent State…and do ordain and establish the following Constitution for the government of the same.
Maryland, 1851, Preamble: We, the People of the State of Maryland, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberty…
Massachusetts, 1780, Preamble: …We, therefore, the people of Massachusetts, acknowledging, with grateful hearts, the goodness of the Great Legislator of the Universe, in affording us, in the course of His providence, an opportunity…of forming a new Constitution of Civil Government, for ourselves and posterity; and devoutly imploring His direction in so interesting a design, DO agree upon, ordain and establish, the following Declaration of Rights, and Frame of Government, as the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Michigan, 1909, Preamble: We, the people of the State of Michigan, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of freedom, and earnestly desiring to secure these blessings undiminished to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this constitution.
Minnesota, 1857, Preamble: We, the people of the state of Minnesota, grateful to God for our civil and religious liberty, and desiring to perpetuate its blessings and secure the same to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution
Mississippi, 1890, Preamble: We, the people of Mississippi in convention assembled, grateful to Almighty God, and involving his blessing on our work, do ordain and establish this Constitution.
Missouri, 1945, Preamble: We the people of Missouri, with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, and grateful for His goodness, do establish this constitution for the better government of the state.
Montana, 1889, Preamble: We the people of Montana grateful to God for the quiet beauty of our state, the grandeur of our mountains, the vastness of our rolling plains, and desiring to improve the quality of life, equality of opportunity and to secure the blessings of liberty for this and future generations do ordain and establish this constitution.
Nebraska, 1875, Preamble: We, the people, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, do ordain and establish the following declaration of rights and frame of government, as the Constitution of the State of Nebraska.
Nevada, 1864, Preamble: We the people of the State of Nevada Grateful to Almighty God for our freedom in order to secure its blessings, insure domestic tranquility, and form a more perfect Government, do establish this Constitution.
New Hampshire, 1784, Part I, Article 5: Every individual has a natural and unalienable right to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience and reason; and no subject shall be hurt, molested, or restrained, in his person, liberty, or estate, for worshipping God in the manner and season most agreeable to the dictates of his own conscience; or for his religious profession, sentiments, or persuasion; provided he doth not disturb the public peace or disturb others in their religious worship.
New Jersey, 1844, Preamble: We, the people of the State of New Jersey, grateful to Almighty God for the civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing upon our endeavors to secure and transmit the same unimpaired to succeeding generations, do ordain and establish this Constitution.
New Mexico, 1911, Preamble: We, the people of New Mexico, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty, in order to secure the advantages of a state government, do ordain and establish this Constitution.
New York, 1846, Preamble: We The People of the State of New York, grateful to Almighty God for our Freedom, in order to secure its blessings, do establish this constitution.
North Carolina, 1868, Preamble: We, the people of the State of North Carolina, grateful to Almighty God, the Sovereign Ruler of Nations, for the preservation of the American Union and the existence of our civil, political and religious liberties, and acknowledging our dependence upon Him for the continuance of those blessings to us and our posterity, do, for the more certain security thereof and for the better government of this State, ordain and establish this Constitution.
North Dakota, 1889, Preamble: We, the people of North Dakota, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, do ordain and establish this constitution.
Ohio, 1852, Preamble: We, the people of the State of Ohio, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings and promote our common welfare, do establish this Constitution.
Oklahoma, 1907, Preamble: Invoking the guidance of Almighty God…we, the people of the State of Oklahoma, do ordain and establish this Constitution.
Oregon, Article I, Section 2: All men shall be secure in the Natural right, to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own consciences.
Pennsylvania, 1776, Preamble: We, the people of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, and humbly invoking His guidance, do ordain and establish this Constitution.
Rhode Island, 1842, Preamble: We, the people of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, grateful to Almighty God for the civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing upon our endeavors to secure and to transmit the same, unimpaired, to succeeding generations, do ordain and establish this Constitution of government.
South Carolina, 1778, Preamble: We, the people of the State of South Carolina, in Convention assembled, grateful to God for our liberties, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the preservation and perpetuation of the same.
South Dakota, 1889, Preamble: We, the people of South Dakota, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberties…do ordain and establish this Constitution for the State of South Dakota.
Tennessee, 1796, Article I, Section 3: That all men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own conscience; that no man can of right be compelled to attend, erect, or support any place of worship, or to maintain any minister against his consent; that no human authority can, in any case whatever, control or interfere with the rights of conscience; and that no preference shall ever be given, by law, to any religious establishment or mode of worship.
Texas, 1845, Preamble: Humbly invoking the blessings of Almighty God, the people of the State of Texas, do ordain and establish this Constitution.
Utah, 1896, Preamble: Grateful to Almighty God for life and liberty, we, the people of Utah…do ordain and establish this constitution.
Vermont, 1777, Chapter I, Article 3: That all men have a natural and unalienable right to worship Almighty God, according to the dictates of their own consciences and understanding, regulated by the word of God…
Virginia, 1776, Article I, Section 16: That religion or the duty which we owe to our Creator, and the manner of discharging it, can be directed only by reason and conviction, not by force or violence; and, therefore, all men are equally entitled to the free exercise of religion…
Washington, 1889, Preamble: We, the people of the State of Washington, grateful to the Supreme Ruler of the Universe for our liberties, do ordain this constitution.
West Virginia, 1872, Preamble: Since through Divine Providence we enjoy the blessings of civil, political and religious liberty, we, the people of West Virginia, in and through the provisions of this Constitution, reaffirm our faith in and constant reliance upon God and seek diligently to promote, preserve and perpetuate good government in the state of West Virginia for the common welfare, freedom and security of ourselves and our posterity.
Wisconsin, 1848, Preamble: We, the people of Wisconsin, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom…do establish this constitution.
Wyoming, 1889, Preamble: We, the people of the State of Wyoming, grateful to God for our civil, political and religious liberties…do ordain and establish this Constitution.
No comments:
Post a Comment