Preamble, Massachusetts Constitution

Massachusetts Constitution

Preamble
Part the First:
Articles I - XXX
Part the Second:
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Articles of Amendment

## Contents

* 1 Preamble
* 2 See also
* 3 External links
* 4 Additional reading
* 5 Footnotes

The Preamble of the Massachusetts Constitution precedes two parts and six chapters.

## Preamble[edit]

| Text of Preamble:

The end of the institution, maintenance, and administration of government, is to secure the existence of the body politic, to protect it, and to furnish the individuals who compose it with the power of enjoying in safety and tranquillity their natural rights, and the blessings of life: and whenever these great objects are not obtained, the people have a right to alter the government, and to take measures necessary for their safety, prosperity and happiness.

The body politic is formed by a voluntary association of individuals: it is a social compact, by which the whole people covenants with each citizen, and each citizen with the whole people, that all shall be governed by certain laws for the common good. It is the duty of the people, therefore, in framing a constitution of government, to provide for an equitable mode of making laws, as well as for an impartial interpretation, and a faithful execution of them; that every man may, at all times, find his security in them.

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, deliberately and peaceably, without fraud, violence or surprise, of entering into an original, explicit, and solemn compact with each other; and 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.[1]

## See also[edit]

* State constitution
* Constitutional article
* Constitutional amendment
* Constitutional revision
* Constitutional convention
* Amendments
* Initiated constitutional amendment
* Legislatively-referred constitutional amendment
* Publication requirements for proposed state constitutional amendments
* Rules about constitutional conventions in state constitutions
* State constitutional articles governing state legislatures

## External links[edit]

| Suggest a link

|

* Massachusetts State Legislature, "Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts"

## Additional reading[edit]

* The Heritage Foundation, "Massachusetts Constitution"
* Social Law Library Research Council, "Timeline of the Massachusetts Constitution of 1780"

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ Massachusetts State Legislature, "Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts," accessed March 28, 2014

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Massachusetts Constitution

Massachusetts Constitution|

Preamble • Part the First • Part the Second • Chapter 1 • Chapter 2 • Chapter 3 • Chapter 4 • Chapter 5 • Chapter 6

* * *

Amendments|

Articles I-X • Articles XI-XX • Articles XXI-XXX • Articles XXXI-XLVII • Article XLVIII • Articles XLIX-LX • Articles LXI-LXX • Articles LXXI-LXXX • Articles LXXXI-XC • Articles XCI-C • Articles CI-CX • Articles CXI-CXX

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