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Wisconsin: 157 Years Young …
May 29th is Wisconsin's birthday: on that date in 1848, Wisconsin became a state.
Wisconsin is one of only a small number of states still using its original constitution, however the road to its adoption in 1848 was anything but easy. After two separate constitutional conventions, one in 1846 and one in 1847-48, and much political wrangling over some of the most controversial political and social issues of the time, voters ratified the constitution and Wisconsin was formally admitted as the 30th state in the Union on May 29, 1848.
The first constitutional convention convened in Madison in October of 1846. Although most of the delegates were Democrats, they represented several warring factions that argued for 10 weeks before finally agreeing on a draft. The first proposal was submitted to voters on April 6, 1847, but was rejected because of several controversial provisions. The 1846 constitution would have outlawed banks, allowed immigrants who applied for citizenship to vote, granted married women the right to own property and, perhaps most significant and despite objections from politicians, made the question of black suffrage subject to popular referendum.
These provisions excited spirited debate and few citizens were satisfied with the entire draft of the constitution. Although each region of the territory reacted differently to these issues, enough opposition surfaced that a new convention was called to draft a more acceptable and moderate constitution.
The second convention met in December of 1847 and prepared a draft in only seven weeks. Using the results of the April vote as a guide, the delegates prepared a second document that omitted any mention of women's property rights or black suffrage. Suffrage was given to white native-born men, immigrant men who had declared their intention to become citizens, and Indians who had been declared U.S. citizens. Banks would be allowed only after the Legislature had received voter approval. Voters approved the new constitution by a margin of 16,799 to 6,384.
Wisconsin's constitution has been amended some 126 times since 1848, but voters have apparently felt that necessary changes can be accomplished through modifications rather than writing a new one as other states have. Ironically, some of the proposals that led to the rejection of the 1846 Constitution were enacted into law within several years of its defeat.
Learn more about Wisconsin statehood:
:: Posted May 27, 2005
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