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Tsk: You'd think Harvard Law School would know which written constitution is the oldest in the world
By adamg on Thu, 09/12/2019 - 1:53pm
Especially since Harvard Law School is in Massachusetts, but apparently not.
An alert reader notes HLS is advertising a talk by the author of new book on the US Constitution - its very own Lawrence Lessig - with a page that begins:
The fundamental fact about our Constitution is that it is old - the oldest written constitution in the world. The fundamental challenge for interpreters of the Constitution is how to read that old document over time.
Only, it isn't the oldest written constitution in the world. That honor belongs to the Massachusetts constitution, which Massachusetts voters approved on June 15, 1780 - after John Adams wrote most of it - and which replaced the previous colonial charter on Oct. 25, 1780.
In fact, the Massachusetts constitution served as a model for the federal constitution, which didn't go into effect until almost nine years later.
Any Harvard associates who go to Lessig's talk on Sept. 25 (a light lunch will be provided) want to ask him about that?
H/t Bob.
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Comments
Also an alumni who wrote it
When does Hahhh vahhd miss an opportunity to boast?
*cough*
*cough*
Have a Sucret!
The whole point of modern British democracy is that it has an unwritten constitution, so while the carta may indeed be magna, it's not really part of a written constitution.
The Mayflower Compact...
agrees with your estimation.
(I know, semantics, "governing document" and not constitution)
Various places on the interwebs
say that Corsica's, Saudi Arabia's, and Connecticut's are older.
Oops
Not that one, either, because there's an older one.
Maybe a little-known fact,
Maybe a little-known fact, but Suffolk is a way better law school. (Also happens to be closer to the State House.)
Little-known
I think, on careful consideration, that that is an opinion, not a fact. While "little-known fact" is an ever-popular phrase, "little-known opinion" doesn't have quite the same ring.
How do you know someone graduated from Harvard?
They tell you.
You can always tell
Probably now applies equally well to however many genders that the WGU recognizes
Got to drop me into every
Got to drop me into every conversation.
the spy who dumped me joked
the spy who dumped me joked on that alot.
Other tell-tale sign:
"I went to college near Boston."
#humblebrag
Not quite right
Massachusetts has the oldest constitution still in use. There are older constitutions, but they have been replaced by newer ones.
Sorry, still wrong
Please stop ignoring the real and significant history of Native Americans.
If I'm asking any question to Lessig,
It's going to be why he thinks it's ok for MIT to have taken Jeffrey Epstein's money.
He doesn't think that
You can read what he does think, if you want. Includes the following: