Office of University Communications 

New book studies, compares histories of all U.S. state constitutions

SPRINGFIELD — The state of Missouri has been guided by four varied versions of its constitution since officially becoming a state in 1820. Thorough historical analysis of those four constitutions (the last major rewrite occurred in 1945) reveals that Missouri – a border state in the Civil War – was caught in a see-saw battle of tension between the North and the South.  

That analysis, and in-depth study of all of America’s 50 state constitutions, can be found in a new book, “The Constitutionalism of American States,” edited by Dr. George E. Connor, acting head of Missouri State University’s political science department and associate professor of political science; and Dr. Christopher W. Hammons, associate professor of political science at Houston Baptist University. The 848-page book is published by University of Missouri Press.

“The most important thing I’ve learned during the process of putting this book together is that state constitutions define a people,” Connor said.

Each of the book’s 50 chapters is written against the backdrop of a model presented by constitutional scholar Dr. Donald S. Lutz in his book, “The Origins of American Constitutionalism.” According to Connor, this new book – based on Lutz’s theory – allows each state constitution to be studied in relation to the United States constitution and to one another. Lutz, who wrote the foreword to the book, is a professor of political science at the University of Houston.

“I approached this project thinking that Don’s theory would apply across the board,” Connor said. “That was the case with every state except Utah, which, based on its population, should be governed from a Mormon perspective, but isn’t. But we now understand Utah better by proving Don wrong, so our original precept does apply.”

A total of 64 authors contributed to the book, including several who are in academia, as well as a state supreme court chief justice, a former state representative, a former university president and a state parliamentarian. Two Missouri State University graduates – Connor’s former students – also contributed.

“Having so many authors enhances the book,” Connor said. “They see Don’s theory in different ways. Each chapter includes color, story and history.”

Connor, who wrote the Montana chapter, said that the people who wrote the constitutions cannot be ignored: “If you don’t understand the powerful people of Montana, then you don’t understand the constitutional history of the state.”

The book is organized geographically by region – New England, Mid-Atlantic, Border, Southern, Midwestern, the Plains, Mountain West and Western.

The project began more than five years ago. And during that time, the authors faced several challenges, including changes in several of the constitutions. “Over the five or six years we’ve been writing this, constitutions have changed,” Connor said. “So we’ve tried to keep up as best we can.”

Connor said the book was written primarily to be used as a reference book. He believes it will be a valuable resource for academia, law libraries, statehouses, politicians and anyone who has an interest in how state constitutions define a people. The editors and authors have agreed that all proceeds from the book will be donated to the Texas Institute for Rehabilitation and Research, where Lutz was treated after suffering a stroke and continues to aid in his rehabilitation.

“We wrote this book to honor Don, and in the end we never lost track of why we were doing it,” Connor said.

More information can be found at http://press.umsystem.edu/fall2007/connor.hammons.htm