The New York State Constitution

This work is part of a 52-volume series on the American state constitutions. It contains an analysis of New York's constitutional history from its initial constitution to the current document.



Galie provides a history of New York State constitutions from the charters that preceded it to its first drafting in 1777 and onward. This first part also focuses on the characters and products of the major constitutional conventions, creating a basis for an analysis of the current constitution. Following an annotated list of the major primary and secondary sources on New York State constitutional history, the current constitution is reprinted and analyzed. Each article is preceded by an overview delineating its major features, followed by a more detailed analysis of each section placing the section in the context of earlier constitutional provisions and other noteworthy events. Throughout, the concentration is on general historical trends and the interplay between politics and law. Any public, college or law school library would find it an invaluable resource. Legal historians or others concerned with the evolution of the New York State Constitution will certainly be interested in this unique work.